Cravings to Ravings
by Vanessa S. Quest
Summary: CONYUU By popular ? demand the Direct Continuation of FTW. This is a multi-parter, part 7 now up. The angst will go bye-bye soon, so don't yell, yeah? Thanks! ConYuu, MuRam, GwenGun, ShoYoz etc. etc. etc. Still MPREG!Yuri. XD R&R, yes?
1. Part 1 WTF?

Cravings to Ravings  
Part 1: WTF?  
by Vanessa S. Quest

Sobbing, Yuri looked at Conrad from his seated position on the floor. Conrad's worried face amplified as Yuri's tears spilt out.

"Yuri! Yuri are you alright? What happened?" Conrad's hand locked around Yuri's forearm, leaning down.

"…I fell when I tried to not bend over to pick up my journal off that table!" Yuri pointed to the slightly lower end table still supporting the black and brown leather pregnancy log book. "It made my sides hurt and then my knees buckled." He sniffled, rubbing his back with his right hand and his left eye with his left hand.

Conrad gave him a sympathetic look, smiling meekly at the double-black. "Well, what did you want to write down?" He grabbed the journal, taking up the pen.

Apparently it was the wrong thing to say to the three-week pregnant Yuri as the teen started to bawl, loudly.

"Yuri!" He looked up and down the hall, almost embarrassed that he made Yuri cry, he kept telling himself it was the combination of fatigue and his changing body doing it to him.

"I… I want to eat pizza… but I- I don't even know what it tastes like but I want it so bad! Uwah!" Yuri tilted his head back to give his tears a new pathway.

"…Pizza?" Conrad stopped to think to himself, he vaguely remembered pizza from Boston, "Right, pizza. Come on, let's get you back to your feet."

Stubbornly, Yuri shook his head, "I don't want to!" He produced soft hic sounds as he attempted to reel in his sobs yet again, "I'm such a mess, and I've been like this all day. Why do you put up with me? Oh no! You're going to leave me aren't you?"

Conrad kneeled beside Yuri, pulling him into a kiss before he could start the crying session again, not when he had managed to calm himself as much as he had…! "Yuri, that's simply not right. I love you, I love you very much and I would never think to do such a thing. Remember, I finally tricked you into marrying me, I'm not about to let you escape me now." He smiled romantically.

Yuri looked at Conrad, blinking several times before he let the thought sink in, "Really? You really love me, even when I'm like this?"

"I really love you, you're beautiful, you're caring, you're loving, and genuine, I couldn't describe a more amazing person than you."

"Now I know you're lying!" Yuri pushed Conrad back, absolutely devastated. "This morning I had a horrible dream… I dreamt of what our kids would look like, it was horrible though! They… they didn't look like us at all… they… they…" He sniffled, it hurt to admit such a thing, "They looked like _HER_. You wouldn't dislike that at all if they looked like Julia instead of me… Julia was amazing and me, I'm a freak! Look at me, I'm a mess…"

Conrad gaped, "Yuri…" It was hard to come up with a smooth thing to say to cheer his husband up, "Yuri, I love _you_. You believe me, don't you? Do you really think I'd lie about such a thing?"

Sniffling, Yuri threw himself into Conrad's arms to sob some more, his arms laced behind Conrad's neck. "What have you done to me? My back's sore, my hips are heavy, I'm crying all the time, I hate what I'm acting like…! How can you stand to be around me when I'm like this… I don't get it at all."

"Come on, let's get off the floor before you make your legs sore. Do you want to go to the garden? The courtyard?"

Yuri shook his head, "I want to sulk. I don't want to be cheered up." He decided, his voice miserable. Conrad smiled, doing his damndest to stifle his amused chuckle knowing how counterproductive that would be.

"Alright, then I know the place for that too. Come on." He slowly rose, careful to keep both his own balance and Yuri's as he hoisted Yuri back to his feet from within the grasp.

Yuri nodded before breaking the hug to hold Conrad's hand.

Conrad took Yuri through a convoluted set of twists and turns planning on bringing Yuri to the perfect spot, and leave the teen with no idea as to where he was being led until they got there.

After Yuri seemed completely frazzled and unsure of just where Conrad would lead him to be miserable, Conrad pulled him out onto the balcony facing north, the view fantastic. Approaching the banister, Yuri leaned onto it, completely spent. Conrad stepped behind him, keeping his arms distributed around Yuri's waist in case the other slipped.

"It's so beautiful." Yuri let out a sigh, his tears now lingering paths of saline, slumping back into Conrad he continued to watch.

Leaning toward Yuri's ear, Conrad whispered softly, "Are you feeling better now?"

Yuri nodded, "I am… but I'm getting hungry now."

"Alright, let's go to the kitchen then."

Yuri shook his head, "It's no good!"

"Hmm?" Conrad paused to look at Yuri, unsure of why it would be ineffectual.

"It has to be pizza! But I can't even describe it to Effie, or any of the maids, I don't even know what it tastes like, if this is like curry that looks like curry but doesn't taste like it, and I don't even remember what pizza tastes like or what's really in it… how can I even try to describe it?"

Before Yuri could become despondent, Conrad squeezed his arms around Yuri's waist. "I remember it. From my time in Boston, you probably don't remember but you lived in America when you were very young."

Yuri nodded, "I know that… wait, what? You really remember pizza?!"

"Yes."

"Oh thank goodness!" Yuri smiled before looking back at Conrad. He clutched his stomach and winced, "Ow… ow! Itai!"

"Yuri?!"

Conrad watched helplessly as Yuri turned clammy and pale, falling into Conrad's chest while clawing into his stomach chanting in pain. Yuri's eyes rolled under on him just as he lost track of his own voice.

-.-.-

Gisela stood over him, her own maryoku pouring into him over his own stomach. He could see Conrad and vaguely knew the two were talking, though he couldn't tell what they were saying as he came around.

"He didn't sleep well last night. I really shouldn't have pushed him to walk so much, but he was crying… I had to do something to calm him down." Conrad justified, wanting someone to just agree with him that he did the only plausible thing.

"It's alright, he's fine. It's the twins, they have very strong maryoku between the two of them. It has me nervous," Gisela turned to face Conrad, "if this persists they will drain him, has he been taking his vitamins?"

"Of course he has been."

"…Then you just have to make him rest more."

"Hn?" Yuri blinked, "Conrad… Gisela…? I'm in my room?"

Gisela turned back to look at Yuri with a sharp twist of her neck, her voice light and cheerful as she spoke, "Heika! How are you feeling? Is your stomach still hurting you?"

Lethargically, Yuri began to raise his shirt to see his own stomach, focusing and un-focusing as he stared at his abs. "…Wha… huh?"

Gisela turned her head to the side, "Heika? Is something the matter?"

"What the… you see them don't you?"

"…See what, heika? Your twins…? I can't, really, I can feel their signature but…"

"No, not them! Those marks!" Yuri pointed to two spots on his body, they looked like raised scars of a split yin-yang only both were flesh colored, one looking like charred brown flesh, the other a dark tan, he could see them glowing, one held a garnet tone, the other cast an amber shade. "You see them can't you? Why are they glowing?! If the twins are in a pocket, why is there something on my body?!"

"Yuri-heika, please calm down." She kept her voice hushed, reaching for a bottle from her bag she turned to look at Conrad a bit unnerved. "Please take this."

Yuri slapped it out of her hand, "I don't want you to drug me I want you to answer me!"

Gisela looked at Conrad then back to Yuri.

"Yuri, she isn't trying to drug you. You need to calm down, you're becoming frazzled, it's no good for you."

Yuri's eyes glazed as tears formed at their edges, putting a hand over his face, his other hand still traced up and down his stomach feeling the two notches, "But it feels wrong… something's wrong… Oh gods, something's wrong with them, isn't there?"

"No, there isn't. You're making yourself dizzy with anxiety," Conrad picked up the vile of pills Gisela had dropped when Yuri smacked down her hand. "We only want to help you, please take this."

"What is it?" Yuri turned his head to the side, he looked at it then his stomach in horror.

"They are vitamins." Gisela mentioned, "Special vitamins to bolster your own maryoku shields. Normally they aren't needed, but in multiple births with magic-users it is necessary to help protect your own shielding. Right now, you're having side effects of maryoku poisoning. Their powers are altering your body's natural flow of energy." She looked at him gently.

"What? Poisoning?" His eyes were set in, he looked ready to collapse again.

"Maryoku poisoning, it happens if your maryoku is over-flooded with less compatible types. It can happen when your maryoku is restored too much too quickly, or in your case being overpowered by twin maryoku users." She looked at Conrad once before returning her view back to Yuri, smiling gently, "Don't worry though, these won't hurt you or the babies. It will only help to bolster your own maryoku to shield you from the toxic effects."

Yuri shook his head, his stomach cramping again. "Then why are these marks on me!"

Conrad looked at Yuri's stomach, running his fingers down it gently, "Yuri, where? I don't see them."

Looking up sharply, Yuri locked eyes with Conrad's brown ones. "…How… how can you not SEE them!? They're right there!" His voice shrilled before he panted in a breath. "Just get out! Both of you get out!" Yuri grabbed his head.

"…" Conrad turned to face Gisela, who looked at him in equal concern, "Alright. We'll be outside." Conrad mentioned before escorting Gisela from the royal suite.

After the door clicked closed, Conrad gave Gisela an intense stare.

"If you can't convince him to take these or slip them to him, he'll go insane. Their maryoku has lingering feelings and their own imprints, if it overpowers his for too long he'll lose his sense of self. This is very discouraging."

Conrad's eyes widened. "What do those marks he's seeing mean?"

"They may be the tethers of his maryoku pocket, if he's sensitive to it that means he's seeing the manifestation of that maryoku, it's a sign of the poisoning." She leaned against the door. "This must be a result of him using his own maoh power so early on, it took that much energy from the shielding. Have you found the second assassin yet?"

Conrad's hands stiffened, "No, we believe whoever fired the arrows fled. Does this mean the pocket won't hold? Will _he_ be alright? If he goes insane is it a reversible instance?"

Gisela turned to face him, her face grim, "The pocket might collapse, he must get his rest, he must take those pills, and he must stop taxing himself, he's stretching himself too thin, Conrad! As far as insanity goes, well, it is temporary. He would be forced to see images that tie into three types of maryoku, and he might even be able to see the maoh's embodiment, I can't imagine that being good for his own psyche, also… there's a chance he could consciously see Julia, how much do you suppose that would upset him?"

"…Very much." Conrad said, head hanging.

"I need to make up a new batch of oroca extract. I'm going to lace it. If he begins to get more agitated, try to calm him down." Gisela slid off from the wall. "Are you going back in?"

"First I want to speak with the maids. Please go back in to sit with him, I'm sure he's calmed down some."

Gisela nodded, "Alright. But please do hurry, I want to really get to work on that."

"I know." Conrad made a fast pace to meet up with the maids.

As Gisela re-entered the room, she heard the soft sounds of Yuri whimpering in pain, "Heika…?"

"Mama… Mama why aren't you here?" Yuri squeezed his pillow, burying his face into it, his arms wrapping around the pillow at the level of his waist, as he pulled the pillow closer he guarded his own stomach, "Itai… itai, it hurts…"

"…Heika?" She approached the bed in time to see Yuri's face contort.

"Get away!" Yuri threw a pillow at the source of the intrusion, "Ow! Ow…" he curled into himself tighter, "You two, behave for papa, this isn't a very becoming way to act…"

Gisela dodged the pillow skillfully, turning her shoulder as if deflecting the blow of a sword, still approaching the bed. "Heika, if you're in pain, please allow me to help you."

Through his wince, Yuri cast his eyes upward to spot Gisela. "I just want to be alone right now…" he paused, "No, that's not right… I want _Conrad_ right now. Please go away…"

Gisela smiled sympathetically at Yuri, "Conrad asked for me to keep you company until he returns."

"Did he really?" Yuri raised his neck to look up at Gisela, he curled back onto his side, "Where did he go?"

"I don't know I'm sure he'll be back soon though." Gisela handed Yuri some water before returning her hand to Yuri's chest, fusing her maryoku with his own to reinforce his own barrier.

Yuri looked down at his stomach, "Those marks are disappearing." Yuri said in astonishment.

"That's good. Please rest up more, heika."

"…Gisela, what are they? You know, don't you?" Yuri's black eyes locked onto her with that sort of needy look that would have shattered Gwendel and led him to knit, as it were, Gisela put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's a sign that you really need to rest and are to under no circumstances strain yourself or use maryoku." She looked at him for a few moments thinking back to his earlier comments on his psychic experiences. "Have you been having any odd experiences lately?"

"…I had a dream this morning."

"…A dream?" She prodded.

"Yeah, my kids looked like Julia in it." He sighed looking down, it didn't take a Great Sage to realize Yuri wasn't thrilled by the dream.

Gisela smiled, "I don't think they will look like her. After all, neither of their parents resemble her physically."

Yuri let out a sigh, "I know, right? But I thought I got over this… I'm making Conrad suffer dealing with me as much as he has to. I don't want him to hate me… but I can't get myself to calm down."

"I don't think he hates you at all. It's a husband's prerogative to pamper their lover when they're pregnant. A happy pregnant spouse is a happy parent and two happy babies."

"Then does that mean my kids are miserable?" Yuri's eyes watered.

Gisela felt sweat bead, she knew Conrad was dancing around mine-fields, but really now! "Of course not, they know just how wonderful their two fathers are, I bet they're only acting up because they can't wait to play with you both."

Yuri's hands ran up and down his stomach, feeling the two signatures, "You two should be more patient, I'm having a hard time keeping up with both of you." He closed his eyes, more than half asleep.

Gisela pulled a blanket over Yuri before walking to the window to look out it, thinking to herself as she did.

-.-.-

Yozak stared at Conrad from within the kitchen, after having gotten back just then. "Oi, captain, where's the boyo?"

"He's in his room resting." Conrad let out a sigh as he continued to help roll the dough out.

"You aren't seriously still mad at me, are you?"

"I wasn't mad in the first place, Yozak. I'm very grateful at the chance of being a father, you know that. It's just that this is very hard on him, _very_ hard on him. He might not be able to carry through the entire term, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how devastated he would be if that were to happen."

Yozak sat back on the window sill, "I don't think you're giving him enough credit."

"I am giving him credit, he is handling this remarkably well, he's carrying twin magic-users, at the age he is, and he's already had to use maryoku reserves. You're up to being their god-father I presume." Conrad smiled as he added some sauce to the dough before letting out a concerned breath, "I want you to find out whoever it was who shot those arrows and I don't want to know what becomes of them. It gives me the ability to deny it if he asks."

Yozak smirked darkly before saluting, "Well then, I'll be off captain. But should I ask if this has something to do with Maryoku poisoning?"

Conrad's hands stopped moving for a moment before resuming their task, "Yes. He was showing some signs for it."

"I see, then you should grind those up finer, he won't be able to taste it after you bake it into that sauce." Yozak winked before snapping his fingers over his shoulder as he left. "Later, captain."

Conrad nodded absently before slipping squid and sliced salmon onto the top of mushrooms and assorted cheeses before sliding the pizza into the stone stove.

"Doria, in another ten minutes pull it out and bring it up to the suite. You cut it like this…" Conrad demonstrated in the air of a cross and an x through one central point. "Be careful to make sure it doesn't burn." His serious face made her nod, swooning with a nervous excitement before she went to set the timer.

Walking back to the room, Conrad knocked on the door which signaled Gisela to bow out.

As the green-haired woman left, Conrad entered. "Yuri, are you up still?"

Yuri's groggy eyes met with Conrad's, he smiled though Conrad couldn't help but think it was forced just slightly. "Lay down with me?"

Conrad approached the bed, "Alright, Yuri, how is your stomach feeling?"

Yuri shook his head, "Horrible, I don't want our kids to act so selfish… not even giving me a minute's rest." He pouted, giving his stomach a stern look, "And I'm so tired it isn't fair. I can't even think of playing baseball and you said I'd have until the second trimester if not later before I'd have to give it up!" Yuri flopped his head onto Conrad's lap before closing his eyes.

Smiling fondly, Conrad ran his fingers through Yuri's hair. Yuri turned his face upward to look at him, eyes half-lidded.

"Are you hungry still, Yuri?"

Yuri nodded, "Don't remind me, I'm going to starve to death with how this is… if I even try to eat stuff I'm not hungry for, it's like they're kicking me in the stomach just so there isn't room to fit it in."

"Well, then we'll just have to make sure to get you what you're in the mood for. Are you thirsty?"

Yuri shook his head, "No, I just really want pizza. Pizza-I-can't-remember-what-it-tastes-like-flavor."

Conrad's hand drew down to Yuri's shoulder, "Do you know what I think our kids will look like?"

Yuri shook his head, "What?"

"I think one will have brown hair and black eyes, the other will have black hair and brown eyes, and they'll look like us both."

Smile beaming, Yuri slowly sat up, "Really? You really, really think that? You aren't just saying it to be nice?"

"Well, a little bit to be nice, but I do think that's what they'll look like." Conrad pulled Yuri to his chest, smelling Yuri's hair.

Yuri felt his energy returning in that simple gesture, he put his hand on Conrad's thigh, "Ne, do you think we can still go to one of the villages then, to go on a date or something, saying that I've been banned from my office by Gwendel and Gunter respectively…"

Conrad looked up to think, "I'm not sure if today is the day to do that, but the next day you feel energetic should be alright."

Nodding his approval, they were interrupted by a timid knock.

"Come in, Doria." Conrad mentioned, still looking down at Yuri as he wrapped his arms around him.

Yuri froze as he began to sniff the air, "…Don't tell me you did it again…" Yuri's smile yet again could have lit the room with the sheer luminescence of it. "I love you Conrad, I love you so much, how can you do that though?"

"Well, I have to provide for my family, don't I?" He smiled before kissing Yuri's extended, shocked lower lip. Yuri tossed himself into Conrad, not regretting it even as his stomach kicked him once for the jerky motion.

Doria sat the pizza down along with two plates and glasses of sparkling water, exiting to leave the royal couple, she suddenly had the need to help Sangria with anything the red-head could think of using her services for, oh, say like fueling the gossip-circle about the happy couple.

Conrad pulled a slice to the plate before handing it to Yuri. The teenager took a bite and after sucking in air to do a post-bite cooling, he continued to munch on the slice until it was devoured.

"This is even better than what I wanted, I was so hungry… this really fit the bill." Yuri took another slice of pizza, "I feel better just eating it and I'm still hungry…"

"Well then you should just eat until you're full." Conrad smiled, the pills he put in there would be able to help Yuri rest and recover his strength, which the teen needed to do so desperately.

Yuri leaned over to Conrad before closing his eyes, "You don't think we could… _you know_, do you?"

Conrad swallowed back a lump that developed in his throat, the sumptuous way Yuri's voice resonated in his ears made him blush, his heart sped up, it was strange to think of himself as feeling giddy and yet, well, if anyone could do that to him it would be Yuri.

"I can think of a few things we could do, yes, but I don't want to strain you, so we can't do too much."

Yuri turned to look at Conrad, "Alright." He let out a lengthy yawn before resting his head back on Conrad's shoulder. Conrad hesitated at the sight of that.

That was the sight of a Yuri about to be in deep sleep in 5… 4… 3… 2… "Goodnight, Yuri."

"Mhn, Conrad…" And with that, he was out cold.

Conrad straightened up the room, putting the food on a tray before pulling the blankets and pillows up around Yuri protectively.

To Be Continued.


	2. Part 2 Power Trip

The soft breeze gently blew past the curtains allowing equally soft yellow beams of sunlight drift into the royal suite signaling Conrad that it was the start of a new day. Turning onto his side he allowed his front to curve against the contours of Yuri's back, the teen having curled up in his sleep.

He internally noted that Yuri's stomach must be hurting again.

Yuri, feeling the new source of heat, mewled before pressing back into Conrad, "Is it morning already?"

Conrad smiled gently, "It is, but if you're tired you should sleep."

Shaking his head, he forced his eyes to crack open, "No. I need to talk to Murata, I want to know what's going on and everyone else would just lie to make sure I won't get upset."

"Do you think something _is_ wrong?" Conrad mentioned before looking at Yuri, measuring the day's course of moods.

Yuri shook his head, "I have no idea, my advisors are very good at their jobs of keeping me in the dark." He gave Conrad a bit of a look, "But I _am_ the maoh so I can't just keep it that way. Today's a good day, so I should get my act together while I can."

"Alright, I'll send for him. I'll get your vitamins, so why don't you start to get dressed."

Yuri nodded, slowly sliding out of the bed. As Conrad reached the door, his hand tightened.

"Is something bothering you Yuri?" He turned to face the black-haired teenager as he approached the window in a haunting, sweeping motion.

Yuri shook his head clear before turning to face Conrad, "Huh? Uh, oh… no, I'm… I'm…" He felt his stomach flinch. In a hurried set of paces, Conrad found himself behind Yuri just in time for the teen to collapse backward, his face contorted suddenly pained, unbearably.

"Yuri!"

Yuri came to, eyes looking at an extended glass of water just under his lip. "Eh…? Conrad…"

Conrad smiled gently at Yuri in a reassuring manner. Yuri spotted a basin, which he instinctively curled toward as he spat up a mouthful of clear fluid. Conrad put his hand to Yuri's forehead to wipe back his bangs. "Are you feeling better now?"

Nodding, he turned to face Conrad again, "I think so. Does this mark the beginning of morning-sickness hell?"

Conrad nodded. "Yes, it does." He handed Yuri a piece of toast with strawberry jam on it, "Gisela brought this by while you were recovering, your drink has the oroco fruit extract in it, too. So make sure you finish that all up."

Nodding Yuri began to eat the toast and spiked water, he smiled, "Wow that tastes so delicious."

"Has your stomach calmed down?"

"Not really. They're pushing on me." He smiled gently down at his stomach as he watched the two spots where they were no doubt kicking him.

"…What are you looking at so content," Conrad smiled as he approached Yuri's side, wrapping his arm around his shoulders, "Are they being difficult on you? You two really should behave for him." Conrad smiled warmly.

Yuri smiled gently at first, until his eyes winced together, "Ow… ow…"

Brown eyes turned into ones filled with concern as the teen shoved himself out of the bed.

"Moving… would be good…" Yuri said as he pushed the door open. "Conrad, come on."

"Yuri, what is this really about?" He followed behind Yuri as the teen started to rush down the hall.

Conrad's eyes went wide, "Yuri, you really can't run around like…" Just as Yuri turned the hall Conrad heard the sound of foreign feet moving, he turned his head to spot the source of the sound. Upon sight of it, he quickly rounded the corner to grab Yuri and push him into the nearest room. "Yuri! Stay here!"

Yuri nodded twice as he saw Conrad's hand reach for his sword, drawing it before returning to the hall, spotting a petite figure in a ninja uniform with the worst possible colors for stealth.

Slipping into the corner to the left of the door, and thus behind it when the door opens, Yuri curled his knees to his chest, taking in a breath to make his body relax, "It'll be okay, alright, so just calm down you two."

The sound of metal clashing echoed, amplified down the hallway, signaling several guards to rush toward the sound. Yuri's eyes shot wide, "Eh?"

"Heika!" Turning his face to the side, Yuri spotted a familiar face hovering above him. "There you are, it isn't safe here. Come with me." Gunter said, extending his hand.

"But Conrad told me to wait here…"

"…Heika, we have reinforcements around, this is the ideal time to evacuate you from the area."

"Alright." Yuri slowly rose to his feet, Gunter took up his wrist and elbow to brace him. "Is Conrad alright?"

"Of course he is heika. Now, let's go over to the East Wing."

Yuri halted he felt his stomach clench tightly, "Why would we go there? It's empty over there… shouldn't we go where there are more guards…?" Yuri's eyes fogged over as a cloth was placed over his mouth and nose.

Lifting Yuri in his arms, the black-haired maoh was carried from the main hall and outside to the courtyard where he was then put into a carriage in the company of two other soldiers dressed in gaudy white.

As 'Gunter' took the driver's seat he ordered the horses forward, once past the castle gates, he pulled off the white wig to reveal dark brown colored, short hair. "We'll just have to try this a different way." The two guards turned to face their captive, making fast work to shackle his wrists with houseki-reinforced chains.

"Just think, if this demon were to have children, how strong they would be… should we just kill him now?"

"Not yet, he can still use his maoh powers, we have to bring him to human territory if we're going to be able to do it."

-.-.-

Conrad pushed the door open, "Yuri? Yuri are you alright?" He looked around, horror pouring over him as he was unable to find his quarry. "YURI!" Rushing from the room, he immediately tracked down Gwendel and Gunter.

"…This is a National Emergency." Gwendel said, his voice grim, he took out a note before approaching a cage housing a carrier pigeon, "Gunter, start interviewing the troops to see if they saw anything unusual."

Conrad's fists trembled, clenched to the point where they had turned white.

Murata opened the door to the office, panting as though he had just run from Shinou temple to Gwendel's office in two minutes, "Shibuya, he's not in the castle… Ulrich saw his star move. We have to follow them, now!"

Conrad's eyes fell onto Murata's, "Where were they heading?"

"Whoever took him is making a b-line for the borders. You realize what that means, don't you?" Murata straightened his collar, "They took a carriage, so they can only use the roads, get horses together, as many troops as you can gather in ten minutes, we have to catch up before they can cross over or they'll kill him."

Gwendel quickly sent two guards to retrieve Gisela and round up the others, "You two, you heard him, go! You- find Gisela at once."

"Conrad, calm down, we'll get there in time, you already had Yozak tailing them, didn't you?" Murata said in a flat voice.

"Yes, if he's found them, I had told him to find the archer."

Murata nodded, "Good, then, we have someone with a head-start."

-.-.-

Yuri groaned as his eyes started to open, coming into focus. He winced, his stomach was screaming at him, head pulsing. He felt dizzy with fatigue, "What's the big idea, Gunt- where's Gunter?" He spotted the two men in bad ninja-gear before his eyes went wide. "Oh crap."

The two guards smirked, one ventured to pull him up to a seated position. "We're taking you for a little ride, sorry for the inconvenience."

Stomach clenching and unclenching, Yuri turned in time for a fist to make contact with his kidney instead of his solar-plexus. Hacking, he turned to face the man, "What the hell do you think you're doing hitting a pregnant person? I know I hate to say things like this… but… but you're a monster!"

The guard laughed, "The maoh is calling me a monster. Ha! Trying to recruit me? No thanks!" He launched another punch this time his aim hit the mark, dead center in Yuri's stomach which made the teen's eyes roll over from the TKO.

In his mind's eye, Yuri saw the soft blanch white cotton sheets as he realized he had to be in the infirmary, _Gisela… are they okay? Are they alright?_

_Oh Heika!_ The way her teal eyes held teary forms made him realize how horribly wrong things were. He looked behind her to spot Conrad, just staring, fists still bawled, knuckles white, a bandage on his brow.

_Conrad? _He tried to smile at the brunette, but it was met with no change in his features, making Yuri's face drop. _Gisela say something!_ Yuri ran his hand over his stomach searching for the two signatures. Nothing. Not even a blip, he suddenly fell deathly silent, after a long moment his voice shook out a weak, _No_…

A bump jarred the carriage until it lurched to a dead stop. "What's going on?" The two guards looked at each other as the carriage buckled to the front right, sinking. Yuri's eyes shot open wide, pupils slit as he cast them over the occupants within the carriage.

"The axel broke." The driver called from outside the compartment. "Get him out here, we'll just have to walk."

Full lashes cast up and down as his maoh eyes took in the occupants, one grabbed his wrist. "Don't touch me."

That remark was answered with a punch to the face. His eyes narrowed.

"You're going to regret that." Yuri put his hands to his stomach, he could feel those two notches raising up before his hands were pulled forward making him exit the carriage as if by pulling on a leash.

Stumbling, Yuri kept pace as they forced him to march down the road, he turned to look over his shoulder at a particular tree, another tug sent him flat onto his face, hitting the underside of his chin on the ground.

"Get up."

When Yuri didn't respond, the guard kicked him in the hip with a little more force than a tap.

"I said 'get up', move it." He hooked his foot under Yuri's hip bone before rolling him over. Yuri's eyes unfocused as he felt the earth wrap around his sides, producing a protective crest. "What the…? I thought he had water elemental!"

"What do you mean?" The brunette mentioned, looking at the floored teen. His eyes widened, "Lift him up and move it, he's trying to activate his maryoku!"

Yuri's unseeing eyes were fogged, though his pupils were still slitted. A strong breeze moved in between the road as if it were a wind-chamber, pushing the guards forward as Yuri laid there, unmoving.

The sound of whinnying made Yuri turn his face to spot a handful of troops moving forward.

"…Shit! They caught up, alright, Plan C. We have to just try to do him in here, before he can activate fully…!" Both guards drew their swords, though the wind wasn't allowing them to easily approach the down figure, a blanket of rocks pulled forward to deflect the first sword-fall, crumbling as flecks of dirt onto Yuri's chest as the attack failed.

"Like I'll stop that easy!" The man brought the sword overhead before stabbing downward, the sound of metal contacting metal made Yuri's eyes gain some clarity, he could tell someone else was standing over him, talking but he couldn't quite catch his mind up to his senses to understand it.

Yozak forced the guard's sword to fly from his hands before pointing it at the man's throat, the guard swallowed desperate, he stumbled back, to the floor before turning over to protect his head and vitals, Yozak kicked him to send him off of the road in time for the other guard to approach, a bit more warily.

Slashing his blade forward, he quickly destroyed the man's fighting spirit as the two turned to run, leaving behind the leader to the merry band of cowards. "So that would make you the archer assassin, I take it?"

"If you'd like to call me that, though in order to earn that title I suppose I have to be the one to kill him." He took out a single-hand sword and three throwing knives with his other hand, twirling them on his fingers.

"Boyo- can you hear me?" Yozak said without looking back, he knew this man's level was quite different than the others.

"Yoz…ak? The others, I hear them…"

"Yeah? Good, can you move? Because if you can that would be great."

He knew Yuri had tried, the shuffling sounds of limbs, but that failure to move was also noted with the pained gasp emitted from Yuri's lips. "Ng…" he clenched his eyes shut, "…ow it hurts…" Yozak looked at 

the shackles still binding to Yuri, sure the combination of extra weight and houseki weren't working in his favor.

"Right…" He turned the blade toward the man ahead of him who seemed to be smirking a bit too smugly for Yozak's pleasure.

He launched one of the knives past Yozak's arm, it landed to the immediately left of Yuri's cheek, drawing forward a red streak as it nicked his skin. Yuri's mouth parted slightly as he took in a breath, though it sounded more like a gasp to Yozak, as the teen let out a low raspy sound as the houseki-laced shackles began to glow and splinter.

"Oi, boyo, hang in there…" Yozak kept watch of the man before him, the brunette made a daring advance which Yozak deflected, pushing him back then repositioned himself to guard Yuri simultaneously.

The horses were almost upon them at this point, he could even hear Conrad's voice.

"Yuri!"

The assassin smiled as Yozak's blue eyes met with his grey irises, "So, that would be the second time he's used his maryoku. Huh, maybe I am his assassin after all. Well, we'll be seeing you again, I'm sure." He laughed before tossing his two knives forward, one upward the other laterally, "Good luck blocking him from both."

Yozak did the only logical thing he could think of, he dove to cover Yuri's immobile form, the sudden weight made Yuri let out a hiss.

Yozak played his wince off as a wink as he looked down at Yuri, "Hey boyo, so I finally get to throw in too?" He rolled off as Conrad dismounted.

"Yozak…" He spotted the two knives embedded in his back and arm, "Yuri!"

"Conrad… I…" Yuri's head fell back limply, unable to finish his sentence. Conrad used the edge of his blade to snap the links in the chain in order to free Yuri of the gaudy bracelets. He could see Yuri shiver, trembling with such a pained look.

Taking off his jacket he wrapped it around Yuri, "Yuri, talk to me, tell me what's hurting you."

Yozak reached his right hand behind his back to grab the blade piercing it before pulling it out. "Damn, that one went deep." He smiled back at the captain victoriously, spinning his finger around it, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to gather some information."

Conrad nodded without turning around, "First, have someone bandage those two wounds."

"Aw, you do care." He approached one of the members of Gisela's battalion as the green haired sergeant rushed forward to Yuri.

"Tell me you didn't really…" Gisela said, looking Yuri over, she pulled his eyelids up in order to check his eyes before then looking down at his chest and stomach.

Yuri reflexively turned slightly, finding contact with Conrad as he put his unbloodied cheek against his lap. Gisela pulled up his shirt to spot the nasty looking bruise forming on his back.

"…They tried to stomp on my stomach… I showed them, ha, I turned around before they could hit them. I think I'm going to be sick."

Gisela nodded, "Right. Yuri-heika, please try to rest. Conrad, please transport him back to Shinou's temple, it's closer than the castle."

Conrad nodded, "I understand." He lifted Yuri in his arms before approaching the horse. "Yuri, you're going to be fine."

"You're saying that for yourself, I know you don't honestly think that." Yuri said, trying to hold back the tears, "…I wasn't using my maryoku, Conrad… it wasn't mine…"

Gisela halted mid-stride, "What did you say, heika?"

"…They used their powers, it wasn't mine." Yuri said, slightly louder.

A glimmer of something struck her green eyes, optimistic hope maybe, she smiled more confidently, "They used theirs? What kinds, heika?"

"…Earth and Wind." Yuri looked at her, a bit unnerved, "Isn't that bad though? If I can't use mine, them using their own must be worse…"

"On the contrary, that's great!" Her smile continued to spread across her face, "That explains so much, if anything that will…" She shut herself off from her tangent, "Heika, it truly is amazing, and they even communicated with an element? Even without a contract, that simply is a miracle."

Conrad blinked, "Gisela, please explain what you mean. I'm at a loss…"

"Simple, their maryoku is too much for Yuri-heika to both contain and protect, but they allowed him to use theirs instead of his, which protected the shielding and will reduce the levels below a toxic effect, this is wonderful news! That may have been why there were psychic prompts, too. In order to reduce their maryoku as much as possible, to actually prevent the toxicity," she put her hand to her chin, "if I look at it that way this will drastically improve his conditions and how to keep him healthier. Alright, there's no reason to leave him out here in the elements, we still need to treat him. I'll meet you at Shinou's temple. Father will surely be impressed by such a finding. This truly is a first."

-.-.-

Yuri woke up to see Murata looking down over him, staring.

"Eh?!" Yuri sat up before flopping back, "Don't do that Murata! Staring at people in their sleep… it's creepy!"

Murata smirked, "You were asking for your mama in your sleep, Shibuya. Do you miss her curry that much?"

Yuri looked at him in complete confusion, "…What do you mean? Of course her curry is the best." Yuri blushed, "Wait, so you were watching me and listening to me in my sleep? What the heck Murata, don't tell me you're voyeur!"

Murata shirked his brows and shoulders suggestively before giving him a sly smile, "Who knows. Are you feeling better yet? You've been resting for several hours."

"Where are Conrad and the others?"

"They've been holed up with Ulrich discussing a few odds and ends."

"…And you aren't there?"

"I decided to check on you, it would be a shame if you woke up alone. Besides, it's all mother-henning and I don't quite need to hear them go on and on." He twirled his finger in the air in a less than thrilled manner.

"I see. Several hours though? How long is that specifically?" Yuri asked.

Murata handed him some tea and bread, "Well, when you get back there will be a very late dinner."

Yuri let out a sigh, "Am I just supposed to seriously spend the next nine months sleeping and eating only? This sucks."

Murata smiled, "Well, do you want to take a nice bath? Or walk around the grounds? There are plenty of guards around, and Shinou would probably love to talk to the first pregnant half-Mazoku male documented about your experience."

"Stop trying to depress me."

"Oh, I apologize, shall I make it up to you?"

Yuri blinked, "What are you planning, Murata?"

"Me, planning something? Why Shibuya you wound me. Do I really seem like the sort to plot things behind your back?" He smirked knowing damn well just how much he was.

Yuri let his head drop, "Oh just do it, I know you're going to anyways. I just have this feeling I don't want to know what is going on."

"Good, alright, I'll catch you later." Murata opened the door to let Conrad enter as he left to find Shinou.

-.-.-

Yuri watched the scenery change from behind the carriage window, the soft dusk oranges turned darker and bluer until the sky finally was swallowed in an inky near-black, pierced by brilliant stars and a full moon, eclipsing the brightness of the stars with its own.

Conrad continued to watch Yuri, anxious of any potential changes in the teen's status both mental and physical health-wise.

"I'm not going to keel over dead." Yuri mentioned, leaning into his fist, he smiled lightly, "Seriously, we finally get to go outside of the grounds." He let out a lengthy sigh, "And it's because some assassin impersonated Gunter." He groaned. "Can we just start the day over and pretend we just went out to town on a date instead? And now we're coming back to a mellow, relaxing dinner, and then we can go to bed and cuddle… or screw… I mean, either or…"

Conrad put his hand on Yuri's head, "Your back wouldn't let you neglect it after the treatment your royal person received today, regrettably."

"Yeah, but I feel like I'm going to be fine for the rest of the week."

"It is possible." He smiled, true he wasn't combating the signs of maryoku-poisoning at the moment, and yet…

Yuri rested his hands on his stomach feeling the two pulsing waves of energy, "Aw, they feel warm, now that they're behaving for me so well, ne I guess that means they're asleep doesn't it?" He smiled down at his flat stomach. "Do you think we could get some strawberry parfaits again? Oh! Or maybe some curry-flavored fried dumplings?" He paused to think for a moment, "No. I know what would be perfect."

"What's that, Yuri?" Conrad smiled, bemused at this light side Yuri was showing.

"Plum ice-cream with chai tea leaves and oroca fruit shavings sprinkled on top." He nodded definitively, "Though curry powder gyoza is up there for what would make a perfect dinner."

Conrad kissed Yuri's forehead, "You're too cute, Yuri. You know that right?"

Yuri smiled, "Well, I have to trick you into staying married to me somehow." He leaned into Conrad's shoulder, starting to lose some of his energy, "Murata's plotting something, I don't know what yet, but I know he's up to some mischief."

-.-.-

Shinou smiled as Murata continued to discuss with him the outlines of his plan.

"I should be able to get back in two days time, getting rid of Shori in a timely manner might be hard, I know he'll want to see Shibuya if he spots him."

"And that would be very amusing and very mean." Shinou mentioned, nodding as he sat on Murata's shoulder.

"True, so we don't want to do that, I've grown fond of Conrad and Shibuya, so if that war broke out… well, we're not going to chance it. So, you can open the portal can't you?"

"One portal to the Shibuya resident's outdoor garden coming right up, just remember, the Earth Maoh-successor will be the only one who can transport you back."

-.-.-

"Conrad, do you want to take a bath with me after dinner?" Yuri leaned back into Conrad's arms, "A nice, long, relaxing bath…"

Conrad wasn't sure if he were being seduced or the bath-tub.

"I'd be happy to accompany you." Conrad smiled, which seemed to be the correct response as Yuri turned around, pushed up onto his toes to kiss Conrad before returning flat to his feet to hug him.

"Great." Yuri smiled, "After dinner that's what we'll do."

"Right, after dinner," Conrad trailed his fingers through Yuri's black hair, taking in the bags slowly forming under Yuri's eyes, unsure of how much to bank on that bath coming to pass. "Tonight's dinner is going to be a roast gosling, caramelized with a sugar-glaze. How does that sound?"

Yuri's mouth drooped in the center as it watered, "That sounds delicious, but there is plum ice-cream topped with chai tea leaves and oroca shavings, yes?"

Conrad let out a soft laugh, "For dessert, yes."

"Then than sounds perfect."

The two walked from the courtyard's garden to the dining hall.

"Ne, Conrad, tell me what you were all discussing earlier at the temple?"

Conrad put his arms around Yuri's hips, "We were discussing the assassination attempts and the country responsible. Also guard detail was brought up before the shrine-maidens set about swooning over how beautiful and powerful our children are going to be."

Yuri smiled, "They swooned?"

Conrad nodded, Yuri froze, face stiffening, "They're too old for our kids! I can't allow that! I want our kids to grow up healthy and normal and not think about adult things like that until I'm at least 100."

Laughing, Conrad mentioned, "Yuri, shrine maidens_ are_ celibate."

"Oh… well, good!" He smiled. "Oh, Conrad, where did Yozak go? I didn't get a chance to thank him for setting up that trap on the road, or for saving me."

"He's out on duties, I'll be sure to pass on the message. Though I'm sure he already knows how grateful we all are."

"I'm glad. Well, let's head in, I can't wait to try dinner! I'm really excited about it. And the plum ice-cream…" Yuri's voice sounded almost maniacal with his obsession of the sweets, causing Conrad to smile again, glad everything was still able to be alright like this.

To Be Continued.


	3. Part 3 Eye of the Storm

Yuri peeked on eye open, "Ne, Conrad?"

"Yes, Yuri?" The brunette smiled, wrapping a strong arm around the small of Yuri's back.

"…You don't think Murata's up to something do you?" He looked at the brooding Wolfram, "I haven't seen him since yesterday, and your brother apparently hasn't either."

"That louse stood me up! I can't believe him! When I see him next I'm going to beat the crap out of him! Of all the nerve, to stand ME up!" Wolfram continued to rant out loud to no one in particular, not that anyone was allowed to escape the ranting.

Yuri smiled nervously, "Wolfram… don't yell, you're making them kick me more."

"That's because they obviously recognize your status as a wimp and want you to toughen up!" Wolfram spat, no apology in his still-raised tone. Yuri's eyebrows petered as he fixed an annoyed glare.

"Wolfram, don't take it out on Yuri." Conrad mentioned in a smooth voice, he drew Yuri closer to his body, smiling at him, "Did you want to rest for a bit?"

"I just want them to stop kicking me, they're wearing me out again."

Conrad smiled, "And it had _nothing_ to do with that game of catch earlier?" His own eyebrow rose in amusement.

"No! It didn't!" Yuri defended, "Oh, I needed that so bad, too." He smiled as just remembering the feel of a fastball landing in his leather glove made his palm sting, he was so at ease catching, it put everything into perspective.

"I see." Conrad kissed Yuri's brow. "Do you want anything right now, Yuri?"

Yuri twirled his finger in the air, "Eto… I'd really like mama-ah… er…" He hung his head, asking for curry really was absolutely useless, it only made him want it more, and what the hell, mama?!

Conrad chuckled, but then fixed his sad brown gaze on Yuri's hair, diverted from where Yuri could spot it, he really did wish he could give Yuri what he wanted so badly, and yet it wasn't an option.

"Stop flirting with each other!" Wolfram hissed.

"Oh you do way more than this with Murata in front of me all the time!" Yuri hissed out right back, "AND Greta."

Wolfram blushed, touché.

"Ugh, Conrad, let's go for a walk, I feel stifled in here." He couldn't help it, the air felt too still, "Walk with me to my office, okay?"

Conrad's scarred eyebrow rose. "Your office…?"

"Well, I feel better today, so I should get some work done."

Conrad smiled to mask his own disbelief, he knew not to disagree, but he also knew Gwendel had put the teen on lock-down away from the room in order to keep him from becoming frazzled.

On that note, he was suspect to where Gwendel had excused himself to. Knitting was one potential, but paperwork also housed a valid threat.

Yuri tugged on Conrad to get him to walk a little faster as he made his way from the study where Wolfram had pounced upon Gunter, Conrad and himself toward the unused office.

Gunter was still wailing about earlier when he found out that the person who so callously took Yuri had been disguised as him, though Yuri didn't want to tell him that… he really should have noticed the differences in the eyes. Gunter's eyes were darker than the imposter's.

-.-.-

Upon approaching the door, Yuri's hand reached out to the handle only to pause, the kicking stopped. He let out a breath of relief, was that all they really needed? To get out of that stifling study? Or were they warning him of the dangers of Wolfram's eminent explosion? Yuri laughed at the thought quietly, though Conrad heard it all the same.

The brunette chose not to comment, not certain as to what was going through Yuri's mind, he doubted it was anything of critical importance.

Yuri opened the door slightly and sliding behind the door as he snuck further into the room, Conrad entering behind him closed the door with a soft click.

Approaching a considerably miniscule pile of paperwork, Yuri sat at his desk, already knowing that this meant Gwendel had expected he'd actually come to do work eventually, and decided to filter out 'packets of upset', or so Yuri thought as he began to work on the stack as Conrad stared out the window, watching the nightscape over the courtyard.

He heard the stack of papers tap the desk as Yuri straightened the pile, the teen then stretched his back, "I bet Gwendel's hording some in his office. Help me raid it, okay?"

Conrad's eyes widened, "…Yuri?"

"Well I can't make your brother do all the work! It isn't fair, plus I want to know what's going on in my country too!" He frumped for only a moment before smiling, with a cheery tone knowing he could hook Conrad with it, "Please…" He squinted his eyes closed just as Conrad's face changed to show how utterly he relented.

"You're sure you wouldn't prefer to rest? You do look like you're getting tired."

"I'm more restless than anything else."

Somehow, Conrad had a hard time believing it, but that hardly made a difference as the two approached Gwendel's office.

Inside the older Mazoku's office, the lights were off, leaving an ambient glow of embers on the fire. Yuri snuck in as he took a stack of papers before heading to the chair, deciding against sitting in Gwendel's stiff backed-chair, or turning on lights that might attract attention. Even if he didn't have to sign and approve things, he could at least read them!

Conrad glanced outside before turning to Yuri, "Are you getting thirsty or hungry yet?"

Yuri smiled, "Nope. I'm fine." Yuri paused for a moment, "Well, actually…"

"Do you want some oroca-flavored water?"

Yuri nodded, "You don't mind do you?"

"If I did I wouldn't offer." Conrad lied, he would, but he still didn't mind. With that, Conrad bowed out, leaving the door slightly ajar as he went to retrieve a pitcher and glass.

Within the newfound silence, Yuri found himself falling into the texts, reading them so engrossed he didn't notice the door open or close, or the lamp at Gwendel's desk turn on. Gwendel lifted one of the top packets from the stack and his own quill in order to set forward in signing the legislation.

Yuri re-read the second page, slowly becoming aware of the more light in the room despite how much darker it was outside. He focused on the paper, he felt a bit dizzy suddenly, "Ne, Conrad can you bring me over a glass?"

Gwendel's ears perked, suddenly turning to face the chair.

"I'm feeling kind of dizzy, like the floor's moving…" Yuri mentioned just as the door slid open.

Gwendel glared, "It IS moving."

Yuri's eyes shot wide as he spun from facing forward in the chair in order to spot Gwendel, the floor was moving in a sine-wave, just as the grey-haired man confirmed, Conrad standing at the door, pitcher and glass in hand, shocked to see Gwendel's brooding face at his desk, Yuri half-out of the chair, shocked as much if not more than himself, and the floor moving.

"Can't you even control_ where_ they dispense their maryoku? Really!" Gwendel snipped, trying to counter-balance the maryoku and thus prevent holes in HIS office from forming.

Yuri started to stumble back, still shocked that Gwendel was in the room, before he could register that he was falling backwards, Conrad had put the tray housing the pitcher and glass down at the doorway and rushed the several steps across the threshold to catch Yuri in time for the teenager to completely lose his own footing.

Conrad's back hit the bookshelf as he shielded Yuri from the same descent, knocking over three knitted stuffed animals from the top shelf.

Gwendel's eyebrow twitched.

"Trash someone else's office!"

Yuri's body shook as he tried to reel in the earth maryoku, ineffectually. After all, he couldn't control his own powers by command, so how could he even control powers not his own? "Come on, stop it… don't make trouble for papa…" Yuri muttered to his own stomach, flinching as he slowly managed to subdue it. Once he managed to rein in the one, however, Gwendel's window flew open as a breeze picked up papers carefully laid on his desk in a miniature tornado that would make Gunter proud.

"Out!" Gwendel snapped, his forehead twitching.

"Gwendel…!" Conrad's voice chastised; unhappy to have his older brother bickering with his pregnant husband as the teen fought, and lost, for control.

"I don't want to hear it. He isn't even supposed to be reading these, he's in my office, it's bad enough I have extra work to do because of this, the fact that he is now trashing my office means I have only more." His tone was harsh, making Yuri hic as tears pricked at his eyes, he really was trying to get them to behave…!

Yuri pushed off from Conrad and hurriedly left the room, the winds settling down as he left, only to pick up in the hall.

Conrad glared at his older brother, "Gwendel, you spoke too harshly."

"You go to easy on him."

"He's _pregnant_. What do you expect me to do? Scold him?" He turned around, "I'll help straighten this out once I calm him down."

Gwendel picked up several of the papers, "Don't bother. It isn't so bad."

Conrad nodded as he left, "If that's what you say…" He knew just what Gwendel meant by that, it wasn't 'not so bad' so much as the wake of what he would have to deal with to calm Yuri down would be far worse and take much longer.

-.-.-

"Yuri…?" Conrad didn't even question _where_ Yuri was, after all, the way the wind was whipping around the courtyard's garden while everything else was still left little room to doubt. "Yuri, I came to talk. Are you alright?"

Yuri shook his head, "I'm useless! I'm a mess and… and… I'm messing everything around me up just as bad!"

Conrad smiled sadly, "Yuri that isn't the truth…" He approached through the torrential winds, though he had to say that it was convenient that Yuri was shouting, otherwise he wouldn't have heard what he said over the howling wind.

He managed to sit next to Yuri, close to the eye of the brewing winds, allowing him to only face minimal amounts of the amazing power.

"I can't make them stop! I keep trying to get them to stop…" He glared at his stomach sternly.

"You know, they're doing this to prevent you from being sick, they probably have to do this, Yuri."

Yuri shivered, "But by making it easier on me they're making it so much harder on everyone else! I don't want to be such a burden!"

"I don't think easier-on is the level this is. Yuri, look around at this, if you were holding in all of this 24-7 you wouldn't be able to make it. We just have to accept that, is all." In awe of the sheer power, it only made him respect Yuri's power even more for being able to withstand such a constant barrage, no wonder he was as exhausted.

Yuri looked at his stomach, "But them being able to even manifest this, it can't be good… I mean, how is it getting out? My barrier can't be holding if that's the case…"

Conrad shook his head, "That isn't true. Your maryoku isn't holding in their power, it's to hold them and nurture them, think of it like a net holding a fish, water is free to move in and out, but for the net to be effective, it has to be able to keep the fish there."

Tears streaked down Yuri's face, he nodded, "I guess that makes sense."

Conrad smiled, "Yes, it does."

Yuri wiped at his eyes to alleviate them, "But they've used enough, so they should stop now!" Using his most disciplining voice he could muster, Yuri pressed on his stomach, "Both of you!" As he ran his hand up one of the signatures, he could see a soft trace of amber light before the wind turned into the shape of thousands of wispy butterflies before their wings of air stopped beating, the wind slowing as they stopped.

As the butterflies stopped fluttering, they slowly disintegrated into glassy shimmering sparkles and disappear back into the air.

Conrad looked around in amazement, it truly was beautiful, Yuri looked around at the afterglow, a pale amber coating of maryoku landed in the garden before the grounds met with a garnet tone, then dissipated into the darkened evening.

"…What… what was that?"

Conrad regained his composure first, smiling at Yuri, "Maybe they just wanted to show off to their parents and show us just how strong our wonderful children are, hmm Yuri?"

Yuri smiled, "I… guess so." He slid into Conrad's arm, "This is backwards feeling, if I use my maryoku I feel exhausted, they use theirs and I feel rejuvenated. But I'm a bit too tired from the rest of the day to use that." He gave Conrad a look, "Well… not completely too tired to use it."

He kissed Conrad's lips before wrapping his arms behind Conrad's neck.

"Let's go back inside now, are you still thirsty?"

Yuri nodded.

"Alright then, and then after that, you can go to sleep." Conrad couldn't help but think he had several things to write down in that book when they got back inside.

To Be Continued.


	4. Part 4 Good Day or Bad Day?

With the morning ritual now seemingly set, Yuri awoke at dawn with Conrad, proceeded to throw up a mouthful of saliva, drink his water spiked with oroca-fruit extract and eat his toast and strawberry jam, also conveniently spiked with prenatal vitamins, to then proceed to exercise, play catch, bathe and eat breakfast.

It almost fell back into order of daily life at the castle, minus paper-work and plus strange weather phenomena such as freak non-Gunter tornadoes and miniature earthquakes. However, though Yuri had seemed to finally fall into a working routine, a brooding not-getting-some Wolfram and equally broody Gwendel-with-a-trashed-office seemed to have put Yuri on a 'list'. That said, breakfast was a bit awkward.

"Ah! Good morning Gwendel!" Yuri smiled, still feeling guilty for the night before. "Anou, your office…"

"Hn."

Yuri blinked as the eldest son of Cheri merely shirked him off. He blinked again, not quite believing it. "Anou…" His voice was as light as he could keep it, and yet he definitely felt as if he were just given the brush-off. "…I'm really sorry it happened, but I really was just trying to help… I can go and help straighten up, I feel really bad that it got messed up…"

"I don't need any _more_ of your help." Gwendel said, still gruff. Conrad continued to eye his brother, who had picked up three extra brow-wrinkles, tapping his fingers on the table at a metered tempo.

"I said I was sorry!" Yuri continued, trying to push the issue for resolution. He didn't want to think Gwendel was still mad at him, especially as it wasn't really his fault, well not completely anyways.

"Oh, well, if you _say_ so, we'll just write off the expenses under Heika's apology makes it all better fund, shall we?"

Yuri's jaw dropped, he never suspected Gwendel to be so mean, well, sure if any of his advisors would outright yell at him it would be Gwendel, but still, wasn't that just a bit too much?! He was apologizing after all…

He swallowed back a forming lump, eyes locking onto Gwendel's dark blue eyes.

Sensing no hesitation in the chastising words, Yuri couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest, several fat droplets started to run down his face. "I said I was sorry… It isn't like I can control it! I didn't mean to wreck things…"

Gwendel let out a breathy, "You _never_ do. It doesn't stop you from managing though."

Conrad's fist slammed on the table, which caught Gwendel's attentions. Yuri spun around and left the dining hall without grabbing breakfast, suddenly feeling too overwhelmed to even be in the room. Conrad's brown eyes caught onto Yuri's, "Yuri, wait just a--"

"Leave me alone!" Yuri shouted, uncharacteristically loud for himself as Cheri entered.

"Oh, heika…?" He brushed past her. "My, did something happen? And I thought today looked like it was going to be a good day for him."

Conrad's hand reflexively approached his own forehead, "I had thought so too. Gwendel, you can't talk to him in such a tone! Would you have ever acted that way to Nicola when she was pregnant?"

"She didn't have the potential to wreck anything more than china." Gwendel stated, flatly.

"And even so, would you have? He was sincerely apologizing and you went about bullying him, I'm the one who has to deal with _that_ mess. It isn't easy to calm him down, and in case you haven't noticed the more frazzled he gets the more things like this do happen." Conrad's cold eyes were locked onto Gwendel, almost making his older brother squirm with guilt, of course, Gwendel wasn't the type to outwardly squirm… well, sans Anissina's presence.

"Are you two fighting so early in the morning?" Cheri flipped her hair, "Mou, that's the trouble with boys. You two should make up, and tell me what happened."

"Mother…" The two brothers looked at the voluptuous blond in time to hear a loud clatter rock the side of the courtyard.

Conrad rushed from the room, hand going to his sword, Gwendel behind him as they ran. Yuri had headed in that direction after all.

-.-.-

Wolfram glared, "Watch where you're _going_ wimp!"

The blond faltered as he saw the tears brimming Yuri's eyes.

"…Ah, Yuri…?" His hand reached out only to feel the ground shift in a massive pulse-wave. "Woah! Watch what you're doing!" He hissed out, trying to keep his own feet.

"Just leave me alone!" Yuri spat, running past the now officially confused blond.

"Yuri where do you think you're going?!" Wolfram managed to keep enough of his footing to go after the distraught, pregnant maoh as the double-black approached the stables. "Yuri!"

With the earth still shaking all about him, Yuri made out to reach Ao, Wolfram slammed him into the ground just in time to prevent him from getting hit by Ao as the horse kicked his front legs forward, whinnying angrily.

"Idiot! Don't you know better than to go near a spooked horse?!"

Yuri rolled back over, the ground now having stilled. He pushed Wolfram to the side, still too distraught to particularly feel like heeding warnings. "I'm not an idiot! Why are you all so mean!? I can't stand this! I want to go home!" Yuri grabbed Ao's neck before hoisting himself up, disregarding the lack of saddle or bridal.

"Yuri…! YURI!" Wolfram called out to no avail as the teen drove his horse forward. "Shit!" Wolfram spun around to find the nearest horse, throwing a saddle and nuzzle on as quickly as he could secure it before mounting.

Conrad and Gwendel reached the source of the screaming in time to spot Yuri riding off. "YURI!" Conrad's eyes went wide, horseback riding without experience or saddle, did not the safest thing equal. Just as Wolfram pulled out his own horse, now ready to leave, Conrad glared at Gwendel.

"I think he's heading to Shinou's temple. He said he wanted to go home. I'll keep up with him, catch up when you can." Wolfram said before spurring his horse forward.

Conrad spun around to lock eyes with Gwendel, "Stay here and send a carriage to Shinou's temple, this is exactly why you can't just say what you're thinking to him! He does rash things like this when he's flustered! You should know better, you know perfectly well how impulsive he is." Conrad grabbed a bridal to slip onto his horse, putting a saddle on him as well, before loading onto the tan horse.

Gwendel ran his hand down his face, now _he_ was the one who had to apologize, great.

-.-.-

It was no small feat that kept Yuri on Ao's back as he came galloping through to Shinou's temple looking for Murata.

"Heika!" Several of the shrine maidens and guards gasped in disbelief, rumor had spread here too of Yuri's pregnancy, so expecting him to just take a leisurely stroll, unguarded and on an unmade horse was quite the surprise.

Two of the higher shrine maidens approached, "Heika, are you alright?" They assisted him down.

"I want to go home, where's Murata, I know he can figure out a way to do it…!"

The two looked between each other, "Geika isn't here at the present moment…"

"What?! I know I couldn't have just missed him! And he wasn't at the castle so where else would _HE_ be?"

One of the guards had managed to contact Ulrich apparently, as she came out to greet Yuri. "Yuri-heika!" She smiled at him calmly.

"…Ulrich… where's Murata?"

"Yuri-heika, you're shaking, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not! I want to go home! I'm sick of how people are acting and treating me… I know they all think I'm useless and they're either treating me like a complete invalid or telling me just how worthless I am! Conrad's the only person who isn't acting like that… and I… I just can't take this! I want to go home!" He let his head drop as he began to cry, again.

As the guards and maidens mulled back and forth, one brought about a shawl, draping Yuri's shoulders as another still brought him a drink. Ulrich rested her hand on his shoulder, "Why don't you explain what happened, it might help."

"…I… I was reading papers last night and then they activated maryoku and it made a mess out of everything but when I tried to apologize to Gwendel, he… he… and then Wolfram called me an idiot… and Conrad he didn't even tell Gwendel to shut up or anything! He was berating me when I was trying to apologize as if I don't already know everything is a wreck around me!"

Struggling to grasp the full picture, Ulrich merely smiled serenely, "Heika, you understand you can't go back to Earth now, don't you? You can't activate your maryoku to open a portal."

"But what about Shinou?! Can't he?"

"Unfortunately, he can not right now. Nor would he be able to bring you back, and while pregnant, you need to stay on Shin Makoku's maryoku-rich soils, otherwise you won't be able to keep up your shields. You can, however, stay here until you're ready to go back."

"But I don't even want to _see_ any of them right now! I'm too emotional. I'd say something stupid I'd regret for sure…"

Ulrich smiled, "If Heika wishes, we could disallow their entry until you say else-wise."

"R-Really? I can?"

Ulrich nodded.

"B-But what if they need to talk to Shinou or Murata or you…?"

"They would have to set up an appointment to be allowed entrance." She smiled, managing to calm Yuri's frayed nerves.

"But… but they activate their maryoku without my permission and I wrecked Gwendel's office and the garden… and come to think of it probably the stable now too!"

"I'm sure Shinou-sama would be fascinated to witness such an incredible feat."

Yuri smiled, his eyes still showing his weariness.

"I'll have someone prepare a room for you. Would you like to rest for a bit, or maybe to speak with Shinou-sama?"

"Ah, maybe I'll talk to Shinou, he might have some foresight."

Nodding eagerly, Ulrich led Yuri into Shinou's chamber, the blonde's spirit quickly making himself known as he sauntered toward Yuri, though Yuri supposed that was for show, as the blonde could have simply just visually appeared before him instead.

-.-.-

"What do you mean we have to have an appointment to come here?! We told you, we're just looking for Yuri!" Wolfram hissed at one of the guards retaining him from entering.

"This is Shinou's most sacred temple, Ulrich-sama instructed us not to let you pass."

"Then just tell me, is Yuri there? Is Ken?" Wolfram continued to harangue the woman. Conrad merely took in the atmosphere silently, observing.

As he took in the scenery he raked his view from right to left, cascading it as he searched for any outward sign, he spotted fresh horse impressions.

"We'll leave if you could just tell us if Yuri has arrived here safely." Conrad's voice was cool, measured, but absolute.

The woman fawned, but aware of her place nodded once, "Yes, he is here resting."

"Did _he_ wish not to see us?"

"I can't say, though he is here to gain reprieve." She asserted.

"But you aren't going to send him back to Earth, are you?! He's pregnant you know!" Wolfram stated, annoyed at his sudden ban from the temple.

"We are aware of his condition."

As the three conversed, Conrad spotted the fountain behind them, glowing. His eyes widened as Shori and Murata exited the portal carrying several things.

"Eh?" The woman turned to spot what Conrad's eyes were fixed on, she quickly bowed as Murata approached, Shori in step.

"Wolfram, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you missed me so much that you decided to wait at the gait for me…" Ken smirked, scratching the back of his head.

"As if! Yuri locked himself in here and is refusing visitors!"

Ken felt his brow sweat.

"Yuu-chan's here? That's perfect! I have something to ask him about." Shori mentioned, as he proceeded to enter deeper into the temple.

"Ah, wait, older-brother of my friend-- Shibuya probably needs alone-time right now…!" He reached his hand ineffectually toward the other double black, "Listen, I'm given full authority here equal to Shibuya, yes?"

The guard nodded, "Yes, geika."

"Let them in." He turned, "Older-brother of my friend, hold on a minute, there's something you should know before you see Shibuya…!"

"Yuu-chan!"

Murata continued to approach only for Wolfram to grab his collar, "You! You stood me up yesterday."

Murata swallowed, "What, I was supposed to model yesterday, and I missed it? Darn… but right now there's…"

"Like hell, you're coming with me, Conrad can handle the rest." He tugged at Ken's collar, "I've now been three days without a good and proper screw, you think I'm going to let you off the hook that easy?! No way!"

Ken scratched the back of his head, "Really, Wolfram-honey, I need to bring this to Shibuya first, then we can go at it as long as you need, but… really, I really should interrupt before Shori reaches him, he still doesn't know Shibuya's preg--"

"You're WHAT?!"

The scream rang so clearly, the chamber echoed the sound as if it were the center of a bell reverberating ringing noises.

Conrad made fast steps to approach the center of the commotion, Shori helping him pin-point it specifically.

"I'm going to kill him! How dare he?! He took advantage of you, didn't he?!" Shori shouted as Yuri clamped his hands over his ears.

"Stop yelling, you're upsetting them!" Yuri bit out.

"THEM?! What the hell, you're having more than ONE?!"

"…I'm having twins…" Yuri said matter-of-factly, "Why are you even here?"

"Your friend wanted me to bring him back after he got a lift with Shinou."

Yuri turned to glare at where the blonde _had_ been, though the spirit was smarter than to involve himself in family strife.

"Yuri! There you are…" Conrad approached, the teen slid behind Shori.

"I don't want to talk to anyone right now Conrad! I'll just mess up again! Gwendel was right, I am nothing but a mess-up! I mean, just look at me…"

Shori turned around to face Yuri, "Yuu-chan, you've been crying…" Turning stern eyes toward Conrad he glared, "You made my Yuu-chan cry, didn't you?!"

Conrad's tempered glare told him now wasn't the time, and yet, that only seemed to fuel Shori.

"Conrad didn't do anything! He's been perfect… well… he didn't tell Gwendel to be quiet when he was saying stuff… but… but that's besides the point! Conrad's the whole reason I've been able to even keep sane in this insane situation… don't be mean to him!"

The brunette smiled softly, "Yuri, Gwendel will thoroughly apologize when we get back, but all the same, I can't believe you would run off like that! Do you know how worried I was, Yuri?" He began to approach the two brothers. "And without a guard, or a_ saddle_… you shouldn't even have ridden a horse, are you alright?"

Yuri's eyes began to water anew before he rushed over to Conrad, throwing his arms around his shoulders, burying his face into Conrad's neck. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry I'm such a screw-up…!"

Conrad's fingers raked through Yuri's black tendrils, squeezing him close to his body, "You can't be so reckless, if anything happened to you I'd never forgive myself."

Shori's eyes narrowed. "You knocked up my little brother! I can't believe it—and you! You're only 17! What am I going to tell okaasan and otousan?! I can't believe you couldn't even keep it in the pants! He's still a minor on Earth!"

Yuri turned half-way to peek from Conrad's neck at Shori, "You aren't even disturbed by the fact that I, as a guy, am PREGNANT?! What the hell Shori…"

"Well, it does make sense, obviously, as they have had same-sex marriage it must have been to protect the family unit, so two males being able to have children makes complete sense." Shori nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I figured you'd eventually have kids, but I still thought you'd at least wait til my Yuu-chan was a modest age!"

"…" Yuri smooshed his face deeper into Conrad's neck, "Even SHORI knew I was pregnant before I did!"

Conrad smiled, still smoothing down Yuri's hair, "There, there…"

"Why are you here, anyway, Shori?" Yuri began to wipe his eyes, now able to calm himself.

"Your friend needed to get okaasan's curry recipe, though she refused to part with the family secret, she just prepared a batch for you."

Yuri's eyes went wide, the craving instantly switched on. "Y… You mean you have curry?"

"Well,_ he_ does." Yuri turned to look at Conrad, the brunette knowing instantly to release Yuri so he could hunt down his friend, though he had his suspicions as to where they'd find him, and Wolfram subsequently.

"Ah, Yuri, should I get him…? You could just wait here and catch up with Shori or…"

"…Curry…"

He let out a slight sigh, apparently Yuri had checked out, now strictly set to the idea of finding the promised curry-dish. He smiled, amused at the sight, Yuri was too cute and with the teen finally being able to have curry, he might be able to escape being frazzled for the next week, especially with Gwendel well aware of his position on Conrad's _list_.

-.-.-

Murata felt himself become cornered as Wolfram glared at him, "Start stripping, you have five seconds!"

Murata scratched his hair, "Really, if you'll just let me bring this to Shibuya we can take as much time as you'd like, but first…"

Wolfram snapped his fingers, summoning a small orb of maryoku, "Four seconds… three…"

"Alright, alright… I get it but…" He began to unbutton his shirt just as the door creaked, a soft tapping sounded.

"Two… One… Not fast enough!" Wolfram flung the small fireball, and being a completely sane, and rational person, Murata did what anyone would, he deflected it, with the nearest object he could grab.

Yuri pushed open the door in time to see Murata flinch and his curry drop to the ground, his face fell in disbelief. Conrad entered behind him in time to see the wheel click behind Yuri's eyes and smell the fresh curry—now coating the ground.

Yuri's hysterical bawling sounded worse than any pained beast, Conrad's face vaulted. That… was just far too cruel.

As the teen's body shook with sobs, the room also began to shake, wind whipping around in a fit far surpassing even Wolfram's temper-tantrums when he had first made a contract with fire elementals.

"Yuri… Yuri calm down!"

"B… b… but… but…" He put his hands over his face, dropping to a squatting position, bouncing on the balls of his toes as his hands shook, "Mama's curry… I can smell it everywhere but… but… it's so not fair!"

Wolfram slid into the wall, Murata landing beside him shortly thereafter as the wind was forced to span the room turning up papers and books.

"You need to calm down, Yuri. Look at what's happening because you're upset." Conrad said in a firm but loving voice. "Take a deep breath, Shori's here, we can ask him to go back… so just calm down."

Reining in his own breaths, Yuri finally managed to calm the winds and shaking earth now that the room mimicked having a bomb dropped on it. Still shaking, Yuri curled his hand around his arms, sobbing, "But I was so hungry… and now… mama's curry…"

"…Yuri…" He approached the teen, pulling him into a hug.

To Be Continued.

A/N: Aww, poor Yuu-chan! TTTT XD Please R & R! ((Or Yuri may never get mama's curry! TToTT))


	5. Part 5 Emotions Behind the Words

"Yuri, you have to eat something…" Conrad's voice carried from behind the door, as the maids, Gisela, Gunter, Gwendel, Wolfram and Murata listened in eagerly. Of course, what they were _really_ doing, if anyone was actually paying _attention_ to the details were refolding the same sets of linens (24 times now), bringing out jam and water, handling cut flowers (petals askew), hiding compulsive knitting-hands while trying to get Gunter's attention, and eaves-dropping respectively.

"No! No way! I can't eat, you know that!" Yuri's voice sounded like a defiant boom, minus the energy.

Conrad raked his fingers through his hair, how could he get Yuri to be reasonable? And, ideally achieve it without bringing him back to hysterics which he had taken four hours to finally calm the teen from.

"…Yuri, you didn't eat breakfast, it's well past lunch and you still haven't eaten. Please think of your health, doing this will only make you ill."

"How can you even say that?! If I even think of eating anything besides curry right now, my stomach gets all knotted up! I feel sick just talking about it! I'm not eating!"

Conrad's hand covered his face, "But, darling…"

"Don't 'but, darling' me any! I won't have it!" He sniffled, just recalling the loss made his stomach gurgle angrily. He whimpered.

"…Yuri…"

"I can't help it! I already told you, if I even think of eating something else I feel…" he wretched once, covering his mouth with his hand. He shook his head to free the tears from the corners of his eyes, feeling miserable. "We shouldn't have left Shinou's Temple! When Shori gets back he's going to have more curry so I can eat…" He wiped his eyes.

"You still have to eat before then; it's going to take at least two days for him to get back." Conrad again attempted to reason, apparently that wasn't the way to do it though… which he had suspected originally, Yuri broke down and began to sob.

"Two days?!" Yuri wiped at his own eyes in exasperation trying to make himself calm down. "What did I ever do to deserve this kind of luck! I'm so hungry…" Yuri leaned his stomach against his knees, his very empty feeling stomach.

"Yuri, even if you eat something you don't want, it will put something in you."

"No!" Yuri continued to whine, Conrad turned around, he felt the frivolity of the situation cumulate and push him well into the depths of petty annoyance. It was downright childish! He took a meditative breath. The only way to prevent the hunger-strike and save themselves the misery of a grouchy and hungry Yuri would be to convince the teen to at least eat something, but lo, Yuri wasn't being forthcoming.

He knew his own breaking point was fast-approaching, though he wasn't mad at Yuri even with his ridiculous demands, the cuteness of the teenager adding to that overall effect, but between his lack of ability to do anything for him with his mood so set, having to deal with Gwendel and Wolfram both, and then deal with the frustrated Yuri his two brothers produced as a byproduct of their own attitudes… then throw in Shori to boot- Conrad turned around and let out a lengthy sigh.

"Yuri, forgive me, but I have to excuse myself for the time-being."

Yuri blinked, where was that coming from? "What do you mean? Why do you have to go just because I can't think of something to eat?"

Conrad smiled at Yuri hoping it would silence him, he really didn't want to snap at Yuri, that would be devastating to the cause, and it really wasn't Yuri's fault things were as they were… but he also knew his temper had reached that point. The specific point that told him to at least find someone he dislikes to stand near, so at least snapping at them would make him feel better.

"I'm curious as to Yozak's status. He was tracking down the men who abducted you. Unfortunately, there isn't anything I can do for you beyond that." He lied, well, it was the most productive thing he could do to keep his own sanity so it was only a slight fib.

Yuri sighed. "You're mad at me now too!" He let his head drop, "…Fine, I don't want to make you even more annoyed, but I can't help it! Why did you even bother bringing me back from the temple?!" Yuri hissed out.

Conrad, in a rare moment of misdirected anger bit out, "Because I can hardly leave you with Shinou's Shrine Maidens as adequate guard with assassins looming about! Please at least try to think of it from my perspective, darling." He somehow managed to keep his tone even, fair, "You take off, on a horse no less, without guards, then you refuse to eat… you're going to make yourself sick and I know who will have to be there to keep you calm. I love you, you know that, but… but there are things I have to do to and I don't want you to feel like I'm mad at you when I'm frustrated because I am not frustrated at _you_."

Yuri's eyes widened. "…Liar." As they quivered, tears began to bead at the edges, "You are too frustrated _at_ me! Maybe not out of anger… but we haven't managed to even have sex and I've started things twice… and…" Yuri stopped himself from explaining how he came to notice how the three brothers shared a trait of how they get bent out of shape when they didn't get to have a long-sought sexual release, though Conrad was the best at managing in all things fair.

Conrad smiled softly back at Yuri, "Give me more credit than that, Yuri." He put a hand on Yuri's shoulder, "I'll return shortly. Please try to eat _something_."

Yuri's shoulders slumped underneath Conrad's hand. "Fine… if you have to… tell Yozak I said thanks for saving me, okay?"

Conrad nodded, "Of course, though I'm sure he already knows that."

Yuri smiled before Conrad left the room, annoyed to no ends that the hunger-strike had in fact started.

Once the room had emptied out a bit Yuri walked over to the window groaning at the flaring hunger pains as the minutes passed he was getting more and more hungry.

He was startled out of his blank reverie watching the greenery by a loud knock at the door, half-jumping from his seat; he turned to glare at the source of the noise. His eyes diverted when he spotted Gwendel. He was already in his own mood between no curry and his spouse abandoning him for self-preservation. "…Did you need something?" Yuri's voice was a bit weak, not quite caring to actively pursue a tongue-lashing he suspected the older Mazoku might be hoping to dole out.

"I came to offer my sincere apologies for my actions last night." The formal tone was blatant, making Yuri think two things about the apology, one- it was forced (by Conrad) and thus not heart-felt, and for two- it was painful for him to have to say it, after all, he was being officially punished by the way he used his words, as if the apology made him lose face.

"No offense, but I don't want to hear it if you're going to sound so insincere. I'll tell Conrad you apologized when he gets back, but I know you still think you were right for yelling at me, so just save your breath."

Gwendel flinched, "That isn't the case." He paused to reflect on just how to word it, "Whether or not my anger was justified I directed it against the wrong parties, and in the wrong format. I shouldn't have lashed out like that, it was immature and unconstructive. I'm sorry. If it had been anyone else I wouldn't have acted in such a way, but I hold you on high standards."

Yuri blinked, he had presumed the reason he acted that way was because of him, but not because Gwendel thought highly of him, oh contraire, he was sure the elder thought he was a complete idiot who needed constant supervision, and possibly a protective helmet.

"You have so much power, potential and charisma, at times it makes you seem older than you are, beyond that, you are out of your element, you don't know how to control their powers and I doubt anyone really would know what to do in your position either, save for a seasoned veteran… and I'm not aware of any."

Yuri smiled, "So you aren't mad at me?"

"No." Gwendel bowed his head solemnly.

"…So I'm no longer banned from your office and paperwork?"

"Don't push your luck."

Yuri grimaced, "Ah, well then, apology accepted. Thanks. Are you sure you don't want help with cleaning up your office though? I really do feel bad about that…"

"No thank you, the maids have already straightened it up, and that which is left is sorting best left to myself."

"I see." Yuri's stomach growled again, cramping angrily. Flinching, he doubled over.

"Heika!" Gwendel's eyes widened at the sight of such a pained, yet adorable, face.

"I… I'm fine, I haven't eaten all day but I can't eat anything either. That's all. Don't worry about this, it'll pass soon."

As if acting upon narration, his stomach uncoiled, allowing him to sit back up. He turned to peer out the window again. "If you don't mind, I'd rather just sulk about that alone, for a while more. Maybe I'll think of something else to eat if I do."

Gwendel nodded, "If you wish, I'll come back to check on you shortly."

"Fair enough." Yuri leaned his head back against the sill, closing his eyes lightly as he tried to fall asleep and escape the hunger pains, maybe to sleep was better than to suffer.

TBC.


	6. Part 6 Portal to the Distant Future

After a good forty-minute nap, Yuri couldn't keep his own concentration up to block off the hunger pains, it seemed even his dreams were daunting him, the air smelt like curry as he walked through the castle, in the one dream. As he walked past people, brushing skin to skin they would turn into elements of curry, when Conrad turned into noodles and potatoes, though, Yuri had snapped awake and cried.

Looking back out across the scenery, he decided he'd have to chance it, he'd go into the kitchen and see if he could smoke out something he wanted to eat. After all, if he managed to do that, he'd be capable of ditching the stomach pains, and the guilty conscience of wanting to eat Conrad, though he was fairly certain that also was what on Earth was referred to as a _Freudian slip_.

Yuri realized it was a good idea the more his stomach churned, almost yelling at him as if it knew food was imminent. By time he reached the kitchen, he began to scan the massive pantries, then lifting up soup lids to spy the contents in search for something _good enough_ to indulge himself with.

He heard footsteps behind him as his stomach clenched, turning he suspected to spot Conrad, having a sneaking impression that his lover had returned along with his willingness to attempt to eat something non-curry. Lid in air, he turned around only to feel something hard strike into his back, instead of piercing him, however, it sliced as he turned in perfect time.

Yuri's hand fumbled back, splashing into the hot soup as he spotted another silver knife come at him again, within an instance, an all too familiar sinking feeling pulled him through the very hot soup, his blood streaking the outside of the pot as he fell back to Earth leaving behind a very confused assassin.

Stumbling out of a pond nearby a baseball field adjacent to his old elementary school, Yuri felt burning pains and pins and needles shoot throughout his back, sides, limbs, well honestly just everywhere produced a painful low throbbing and ache. Glancing about, he wasn't sure if he had brought back his attacker, too, so he decided now would be the time to get the heck out of dodge, wandering with an intense drive to get home and somewhere safe.

As Yuri reached his native home on Earth, Conrad returned to the castle, Yozak in tow, both with a sense of ominous dread. Yozak had found out the sect was doubling back, when they had decided to divide and conquer, unfortunately for the first party of the division, the conquering was had by Yozak shortly before the man was quartered.

Upon seeing the streak and splatter of red, and a familiar shaped throwing knife that Yozak had had the pleasure of digging two near identical forms from himself earlier, Conrad set the palace in lock-down before immediately riding off to Shinou's temple.

Conrad pushed past the shrine maidens' guard as he approached Ulrich frantically, Murata, spotting him waved Conrad along causing the female guards to stand down.

"Sir Weller, what brings you here…? Shibuya was already sent back wasn't he?"

"…He's missing from the castle, no one saw him leave though."

"You're holding something back, there's no reason to come rushing here like this for just that."

"An assassin was on his way here, and when I entered the kitchen searching for him I saw blood I can only presume to be his as tacky decoration on one such weapon and utensils. Including a large pot."

Murata's head whipped around in time to see Ulrich approaching the main shrine. The two men following her lead as she entered, her hands reached up to hover about what looked like a celestial map.

"It's as you suspected, Yuri-heika is no longer on Shin Makoku. He has returned to Earth."

Shinou approached from behind the watery curtain, "What's more is he isn't alone. I'll open a portal, you should hurry before something happens to him."

Conrad nodded, grasping his sword, "How many?"

"Only one." Shinou answered curtly, "We'll forgo ceremony as it will just be these two, go to the fountain. Now." He flipped up his curly blond hair as he vanished, moments later appearing before the fountain as he opened a portal in the waterway.

As Conrad gave Ulrich a look, he and Murata made hurried steps as her words rang out through the air, "Sir Weller, he's hurt."

Conrad and Murata sprinted through it, not saving time to stand on ceremony as Shinou himself had chosen to skimp it.

Conrad sat up from the water, taking in a short gasp to collect his breath and spit out some water that he had caught in his mouth. Pushing himself to his feet, he spotted Murata. The teen glanced up and down, "We're near Shibuya's home. He must have headed there. We should find him first then look for the assassin. Preferably after transferring him back."

Conrad nodded, both realizing that with Shibuya in his condition that he could die long before the assassin even laid claims.

Yuri began hitting the doorbell several times, ringing it as he leaned into the door heavily.

He could feel how heavy the world felt on his back and shoulders, breathing was made so much harder as he continually had to pant in breaths.

"I'm coming, mou…"

Yuri smiled, hearing his mother's voice from afar, after all, four centimeters of dense wood and then meters between she and the door were infinitely wide a gap as all he wanted to was to be inside with some delusion of safety there, he didn't even care if he caused a fuss with the way he felt.

"Yuu-chan!" Her eyes gaped as Himiko opened the door, Yuri slumping forward into her. Pulling her prone son indoors, she then closed the door before spotting red on her palms. "Yuu-chan!"

Yuri forced himself up by propping his weight against the wall, "Tadaima… Mama…"

Her eyes did a double-take, hardly feeling the chance to be elated at the words.

"…I have to tell you something… very important, mama… I'm pregnant, and an assassin is after me… he knocked me into this world, but I can't stay. I have to find Shori and get back or else something very, very bad can happen."

Yuri felt the cramps coming over his body, to top that, he also could see the two different colored spots showing through his shirt now, illuminating a good portion of his stomach.

"Yuu-chan… you're bleeding…"

"Where's Shori now…?"

"He went out to pick up more curry-powder. What's going on, Yuu-chan?" The slight woman approached the equally slight teen as she ushered him to the kitchen to sit down, so she could find the source of the blood, though the slash in the fabric was a bit of a give-away as to where it was and what.

Just as she sat Yuri down she heard the doorbell ring and the door open. A polite, "Sorry for the intrusion," rang through the air, Murata's tactful voice informing the two Shibuyas just whom had entered. "Mama, is Shibuya here?"

Nodding, vigorously, the brunette replied, "We're in here Ken-chan!" She put her hand on Yuri's shoulder.

The double-black turned to spot Conrad, glad to see him there as well. "Conrad…" He smiled before slumping into the table, reeling in pain. His body erupted in cold sweat, his face flush as if he had a fever.

"YURI!" The older man approached his husband, hand clutching his own, "Yuri hold on!"

Yuri smiled faintly, "I'll be fine, I'm just tired… it must have been because I inadvertently opened the portal. Gisela told me not to do that, but my maoh form doesn't usually listen to what people instruct; doctors included apparently."

"We have to get you back to Shin Makoku…"

Ken smiled, "Mama, where's Shori-nii?"

Yuri answered for him, "At the grocery store, picking up curry-powder. Is this some form of death by curry? That's really not fair if it is! What's so wrong with wanting some comfort food when you're pregnant?"

Conrad gave a pained smile, just seeing Yuri like this tore at his insides. "Yuri… how long have you been here for now?"

"…Over an hour, I think." He pressed his hand to his stomach, wincing. "Conrad, I see the marks again, they're getting so bright…" His lids fell half-way down his eyes, weighted and puffy. The whites of his eyes, Conrad noticed, were exuding a soft blue light, the soft glow that had been enveloping him for the most of the past few weeks had become so faint that only with the accent of such an extreme pale white, could the color be distinguished, even his pale skin wasn't pale enough to show the illumination.

"…What?" He put his hand on Yuri's shoulder, giving Murata a well-placed look. The double-black sage approached the royal couple.

Yuri felt something strike his stomach hard enough to send him buckling into the table, his left arm reached out to steady his weight before failing him, he collapsed to his left into Conrad's expectant arms.

Lowering him to the floor, laying into Conrad's lap, Conrad stroked the sides of Yuri's face, mentally chanting how very, very bad this was.

Yuri let out a low, writhing moan, "Aahhnnngh… itai…" The sweat became a fine layer glossing over all of his skin, his eyes clenched shut, the irradiating glow on his stomach that Yuri had been so focused upon, though no one else could see, was so blinding he could even see it with his eyes shut now. His eyes began to dart back and forth underneath the lids as Ken gave Conrad a knowing look.

"…His maryoku isn't going to hold out much longer, it's about to collapse."

"If he does that, the only option we have is to…" As they spoke the door opened, Shori carrying in two bags of groceries.

"Shori-chan!" The two conscious men in the kitchen noticed the blur that was Himiko as she rushed out and the larger, darker blur, that was Shori pulled behind her.

"Older brother of my friend, open a portal… NOW!" Ken commanded, already pouring water on the floor over and around Yuri, creating a fine film of water over the linoleum. "Otherwise…"

Shori's eyes shot wide, "What is he even doing here?! I thought you said he could die if he-" as if realizing that he didn't really need to know right that instance, he touched the water, sending the four men through the portal, Himiko standing in the now empty kitchen, with a large puddle of water and blood on her floor. She let out a sigh before picking up some paper towels to sop up the mess.

"…I wonder if his boys will have wings?" She said in a false calm, Shori had reported back to her just what he had heard about twins, and she had decided upon herself that they would be boys, probably just because she would never be allowed to have the pleasure of taking her female heirs out for parfaits, fate was cruel sometimes!

Shori felt the water whip away in a growing, howling wind, as it spun around and around he couldn't help but feel that this must be what the center of a tornado is, though he was surprised that an earthquake and tornado would hit simultaneously, it seemed statistically unlikely.

As the wind started to die down and turn into golden glowing butterflies, then dissipate into a glowing powder in an explosion of pollen, he started to doubt this as a weather anomaly.

Conrad continued to rub Yuri's face, propping the teen up in the water as he slowly pulled him from the fountain with one arm tucking across Yuri's chest, wrapping from under his arms. "Yuri… Yuri can you hear me?"

The earth insistently continued to shake and stutter, though the grass was beginning to grow out very lush looking vines for the wear.

Conrad pulled Yuri fully from the water, as his feet hit the greenery, Yuri started to come around or at least unconsciously moved with some semblance of walking. He staggered and swerved drunkenly unaware of his limb placements.

"Yuri, Yuri concentrate, Yuri can you hear me? Say something to me." Conrad constantly stated behind the teen into his ear.

"C… Conrad… my stomach feels like it's going to be ripped in half…"

Murata turned to face Shori, "We need to get back to Earth. Someone came with him who really shouldn't be left to his own devices."

"What does that mean?"

"It means Yozak will be going with you." Conrad said authoritatively, Yozak stepped out from behind the fountain, shocked that Conrad even spotted him, though he wasn't hiding… he just hadn't gotten up to them yet.

"You mean the person who did this is still at large over there? Is he going to be alright, Captain? He isn't in labor is he…?"

Conrad's eyebrows knitted, "Is Gisela behind you?"

Yozak nodded twice, "She is. So he _is_?"

"It looks like it. I can't talk now, just get back to Earth before you lose track of him, you've lost about an hour and ten minutes over there."

Conrad would have asked how long they had been gone for, but Yuri let out a pained scream, the garbled gasp was followed by the air being pierced by a fiercely driven, "HEIKA!" Apparently, Gisela had arrived.

Yozak grabbed Shori's arm pulling him back to the water, "We should go, now. We can't get in their way right now and we can't lose more time, so if you'd be so kind and step this way…"

Shori blushed, completely out of phase with how he should move of act in a situation as bizarre as child-birthing, let alone of his kid brother's Mazoku pregnancy and delivery… he subconsciously let out a, 

"We'll be back as soon as we can, if anything happens to him though… it'll be a war between our worlds, you hear me? I'll kill you if he doesn't pull through this!"

Conrad didn't seem to hear him, at all, actually, as he completely ignored the other.

Shori created a portal that swallowed both Yozak and himself within it, reappearing in the kitchen, Yozak smiled as he spotted the feisty brunette in a frilly apron with scalloped edges to die for.

As the portal sealed, Gisela and Murata began to pour on their maryoku to stabilize Yuri.

"Heika… hold on, you're going into labor…"

"Can he really do such so soon? Will he survive this…?" Conrad didn't even spare the hope that their children would, that was hard enough but the thought of losing Yuri on top of that loss made his voice crack as his fingers quivered and shook.

Gisela couldn't think of an appropriate answer, "We don't have the time for this, Sir Weller. We have to start the delivery now." She began to undo the buttons of Yuri's shirt, exposing his stomach.

Yuri craned his neck up, from lying flatly against the ground to see the two brightly lit regions of his stomach. Gisela gasped.

"He's much farther along than I thought… I can see his shielding…" She, and anyone within a one-meter radius really, could see the forming lump of two parts of a yin-yang pulled apart about one decimeter from each other, one a soft garnet red, the other a gentle amber, slowly growing brighter and swelling larger. "Pick him up and carry him to the nearest bed you can find." She lifted her kit as Conrad did as he was instructed, several shrine maidens and guards began to lead the way while others ran off to get more blankets and hot water, though Ken himself wondered what the point in that would be, as they wouldn't have a need to really sterilize much of anything.

Yuri let out another set of strangled, pained gasps and screams. His head whipped left than right.

"Yuri-heika try to breathe deeply, we don't have much time, we have to separate your shielding, it is about to tear free." Gisela put her glowing hand over Yuri's forehead as she spoke, it seemed to bring Yuri down from his pain-high to make him at least slightly tangible of what was occurring.

"My babies… but… oh gods Conrad they aren't going to be okay like this are they… oh gods this is all my fault…" Tears were streaming down his face for mixed reasons as more pain raked up and down his being.

"There is a good chance they can still pull through, even though they're early…" Gisela mentioned.

"You mean you can still fix me… before they have… AGH! Itai, itai…" Yuri's face squinted, contorting in reeling pain.

"No, they're coming out now."

Conrad began to brush back Yuri's bangs, realizing Yuri sounded more pained the more conscious he was becoming of the medical crisis building about him. "Names… Yuri, we never really thought of names… what do you think we should call them…?" He managed to keep his voice steady, he was amazed at himself for being able to sound so calm but accredited that to knowing this would be the only way he could keep Yuri out of pain and possibly survive the ordeal.

After all, the children were a lost cause, and even thinking of naming dead children was too heart-breaking to imagine, so they had to come up with names fast, while their children were still alive.

"K… Kazuharu, definitely… for a middle name for one… and…" Yuri's eyes trailed outside as he spotted continually growing vines that even he knew were out of season for this time of year, after all, two inches of snow told him that much. He felt strangely dizzy, and felt as if he were delusional though that is an odd thing to say for yourself, but, were those vines floating, it looked like glowing green and red shaded pixies, the kinds of English fairies with four dragon-fly wings on their backs and pointed ears, were holding them all up as if showing them off.

He let out a hic as sob racked him, the pain had just intensified, "They're gonna die aren't they…" Yuri said as Conrad squeezed his hand in his.

"Of course not, Yuri, we have strong children… they'll pull through, just as Gisela said." Conrad lied, but convincing Yuri of this would only increase his chances of pulling through.

"…Satuharu for the middle name of Kazuharu's twin. You pick the first names. Kazuharu means wind born of spring, Satuharu is fairytale born of spring… because Satu-chan's powers look like English pixies…" He let out another pained cry, whimpering as Conrad locked eyes with him.

"I see… well, Satuharu is the earth-user with powerful maryoku, then we'll name it Andreas Satuharu if that's a boy, or Andrea Satuharu if that's a girl. Andreas and Andrea mean to be strong, so it would be fitting don't you think? For the other, if it's a boy Giancarlo Kazuharu for gracious and powerful… or if that's a girl, Hannelore for gracious."

Yuri smiled before letting out an audible, ear-piercing screech. "AHN!" He collapsed back limply, Conrad watched his eyes close.

"Yuri…!" Conrad's hand cupped Yuri's cheek, his fingers slowly trailed lower, tucking under his chin digging into the side to feel for a pulse, secretly hoping Yuri really had fainted, Gisela would probably have to remove the two babies, and if it came down to removing the bodies, it would probably be better if Yuri never saw them.

At the sound of Gisela grunting as she pulled out one body, the sound of a healthy cry caught Conrad's ear, making him turn to face the infant, shocked.

The garnet cord dangling, tethering him to Yuri didn't catch Conrad's eye, but the healthy size of the baby did… "Gisela, how long were we gone? What month is it?"

"Today is March 21st. For three weeks early and a young first-time parent, he's surprisingly plump." Gisela smiled softly, resting the baby gently in one of the shrine maidens' arms before entering to pull out the second baby.

Conrad let out a relieved sigh he hadn't realized he was holding in. He looked at the unconscious Yuri to the garnet-glowing earth-user, the baby had dark brown hair and between opening and closing his dark brown eyes. The fair skin took much more after Yuri though, as did the shapes of the eyes, he looked very similar to Yuri as a baby, and Conrad was quite familiar with that image as he had burnt it into his mind so many years ago.

Gisela cooed gently to the unconscious Yuri, "You're doing great Yuri-heika… keep bolstering yourself a little longer…" She knew he was unconscious, as evident by the lack of screams, but she also saw the way his stomach and chest held a faint blue gleam again as he was enveloped in maryoku.

The green-haired sergeant gently pulled out the second baby, the amber cord tethering him to Yuri's body fell away as the blue shield suddenly vanished, leaving Yuri to look ethereal with his white skin even cooler and lighter than porcelain.

Conrad looked at his other son, this one bore a resemblance to himself and Yuri, he could tell he would look more like Conrad in the face, the eyes were more of his shape, as was his chin, but he was still plump. With a darker skin-tone than his brother and almost completely black hair, he noticed the tips of his front bangs were dabbed with the slightest bit of white, he took in an internalized gasp, it was… very familiar to Julia's one tuft of blue hair in her otherwise white mane, and Conrad already anticipated Yuri's anxieties for it.

As the baby opened his eyes, Conrad took notice that he was… partially a double black, his left eye was a pale amber while the other was pitch black. At that moment, he realized what had to be done, "…Gisela, when you send them back to the nursery, send someone to trim his hair, to trim the white out of his bangs."

He whispered softly to her in order to assure Yuri, even unconsciously, couldn't hear.

Gisela nodded, knowingly, after all she had been there during the explosion. The shrine maidens holding the twin heirs bowed as they took the two new editions to the nursery with their orders in mind.

She smiled as she looked at Yuri, though her face held a darkness to it. "He isn't fairing well. Please summon Geika."

Upon hearing his title said, Murata approached, he held out his finger to be snagged by little Andreas, he let another finger be clutched by little Giancarlo before pulling himself away and approaching Yuri, already making his maryoku leak freely, surrounding Murata in a faint amber glow.

"What can we do for him?" Conrad's voice was serious, grave, after what Yuri's body had endured he looked ready to collapse dead by just breathing.

"Keep talking to him, reach out to him while we work on healing him, I'm certain he wants to hear what his children look like." Gisela mentioned as her hand hovered above Yuri's stomach, also aware of the attention his back would need.

"Yuri, we're going to need another vacation after this I think. Let's do that back on Earth, so you can eat all the curry you can? We'll bring our sons and daughter over, so your mom can meet her grandkids, I'm sure she'll just love that."

Yuri smiled softly, his eyes touched together, still contorting in pain.

It struck Conrad then that Shori and Yozak would soon return with the assassin, possibly within the month, though definitely before the year is up.

"Can't do that yet… they can't swim…" Yuri's soft whisper startled Conrad out of his reverie.

"W… When did you wake up, Yuri?" Conrad smiled, the double-black's eyes were still rested shut, weakly.

"I don't think I have yet. Everything aches… but… but are they okay?"

"Yes, we have two very healthy, happy baby boys. The shrine maidens are giving them baths and weighing them, and running all the necessary checks."

Yuri's smile widened. "…That's great. I'm so hungry…" Yuri laughed softly. "Do you think Shori will be mad that we're making him a gopher if I ask him to go back to get some curry…?"

Timed perfectly, Shori and Yozak returned, surprising Conrad, it meant the two had taken less than five minutes to find the assassin on Earth, and yet somehow managed to not bring him back…?

Yozak handed the Captain a crock-pot. "Mission accomplished, Captain." He slung his arm around Shori, flirtatiously.

Shori didn't even seem to mind that…

"…What happened?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Hit and run, officer, honestly." Shori said, holding his hand up in the air. "I witnessed the whole thing."

Yozak smirked, "Yeah and I helped… rather, I did too." The playful banter shocked Conrad, who instantly was shushing them.

"The babies are in the other room, they're healthy, why don't you go see them while Yuri regains his strength."

Shori nodded once, "Before that… Yozak, there's something else I want to see."

"Oh-ho and what's that?"

…Conrad chose to ignore how blatantly the two were coming on to each other, and how Yozak's arm and Shori's hand were gradually moving more and more south getting ready to cross certain borders.

"The kitchen. If we spill this curry again, okaasan won't remake it. She already made curry twice today, I'm not going to ask for her to go for number three."

Conrad almost seemed disappointed for Yozak, having expected the line to be a bit more raunchy, he was surprised at himself, normally he wasn't the sort to meddle.

"After we see the babies we'll hump like rabbits though, right? I have this cute little outfit that really looks like…" Yozak paused to think as Yuri groaned, even more pained. He pointed to one of the guards, "Like that."

Shori smirked, "Interesting. You don't happen to still have the maid uniform you had Yuri try did you…?"

"Oh that, heavens yes! The pinks go with my hair so…"

"You two, out! Now!" Conrad rubbed his hand down his face, Yuri's pained sounds were growing quite loud in proportion to the lengths of that conversation.

As the two exited, Yuri braved opening his eyes, "Ugh I feel awful, Conrad…" As Yuri sat forward, propped against his husband's side, Gisela began treating his back, earning her several winces.

"We'll let you rest up for as long as you'd like after this Yuri. "

"I want to see the babies before those deviants start to corrupt them…"

Conrad flinched, "But of course." He hoped the maidens had worked quickly to trim up his son's hair.

TBC.

Please R & R. The story doesn't have too much left in it, then it will have to be continued on in a new story with some OCs added in. Sorry if my explanation seems stretched too, but I think the principle of the matter works. What do you think?

Also, sorry for the hiatus, but I had to help around here with my new little niece too… so, sorry.


	7. Part 7 Changing Politics

Conrad put his cool hand to Yuri's cheek, "Yuri, I'll bring them in, just relax here for a few more moments."

"No, I want to go see them…" Yuri forced himself up, the low stringing complaint of itai-itai-itai could be heard under his breath as his clammy skin radiated pain.

"You can't be serious, Yuri you can't move about this early, so lay back down. I'll have someone bring in curry so you can eat while you wait, in case they haven't finished dressing them yet."

The black-haired teen gave Conrad a dirty look, "But I don't want to wait…" Yuri winced, toppling back to the bed, too spent to keep vertical any longer.

Conrad gave a victorious look that read clearly that he and gravity won this round, he smiled sympathetically to Yuri before the younger of the two swore, "…Damn you Physics! You win this round…" he let out a lower, rumbling groan. "Hurry though, I didn't even see them yet…" Tears bubbled in his eyes, "I don't even know what my children look like… I'm such a horrible parent not even knowing if they're fat and plump or if they're starving twigs… do they each have ten fingers and ten toes? Do they look _right_?"

The brunette smiled reassuringly, "They're fine, Yuri. We have two beautiful, healthy sons."

"By beautiful… you don't mean they look like Wolfram, right? Because if they act like him…" Yuri visibly shuttered.

"No, they don't look like Wolfram, they look like _us_."

"…And not like Julia, right?" Yuri smiled until he realized Conrad just froze up a bit, his face dropped as he flung himself out of the bed.

"Of course they don't look like her, I just said they looked like us… Yuri, Yuri lay back down right now! I'm not asking this, Yuri…" Conrad grabbed Yuri's arm, steadying him as his legs continued to buckle.

Yuri fell back into Conrad, exhausted.

"You _need_ to _rest_, Yuri. Now get back in bed. I'll bring them over now."

"And why can't I just go over…" Yuri's legs gave out, Conrad's arms swooped underneath the joints of his shoulders and knees before picking him up, again giving him a criticizing look as a non-verbal answer. As Yuri's head swooned he couldn't help but feel faint, "I feel sick…"

"Then lay down and rest." Conrad said in an absolute voice.

Yuri nodded once before closing his eyes to rest, Conrad slipped him back down onto the bed before coupling the covers and draping them over Yuri's prone figure.

After waiting two minutes to be sure Yuri wouldn't wake up as soon as he turned around, he went to the nursery to check on the progress of baby's first undocumented haircut.

Yuri awoke fifteen minutes later to the smell of curry and Shori leaning over him holding a bowl, Conrad in the corner holding both twins, cradling and rocking them with his slight jerky bobs. Apparently it was awkward to hold two newborns at the same time, yet one would never be able to tell with the confident, proud look on Conrad's face.

Sitting up, Yuri smiled, looking past the curry to see his sons and husband.

"I'll set this down here, Yuu-chan, Yozak and I are going to step out and give you a few moments." Yuri visibly shuttered, he was used to Murata-speak enough to realize that his brother all but said he was going off to have a quicky with Yozak.

"Yeah have fun with that." Yuri muttered before looking at his two sons, his heart clenched as he spotted Kazuharu and Satuharu, tears welling in his eyes.

"Andreas Satuharu…" Conrad introduced, Yuri began to look him up and down, pulling on his hands and feet to count toes. Conrad gave him an unnerved look, "Yuri, they're fine…"

"Of course you'd say that! You're still worried about me… Gisela, how do we feed them though? I mean… do I use a bottle or is it like maryoku… I mean that doesn't make too much sense but…"

"You would use a bottle, heika." Gisela nodded, all smiles.

"Right, okay, thanks… Can I get a…"

"They've already eaten Yuri." Conrad nodded over to two empty bottles, "While you were resting."

"…Oh… I see." Yuri looked back down at Andreas before handing him back to Conrad, "So this must be little Giancarlo Kazaharu…" Yuri smiled until his face fell thin, stretched, "…What?!"

Conrad blinked, "Yuri? What's wrong?" He was shocked to hear his husband's voice squeak, did they miss something?

Yuri began to turn Giancarlo in his arms, looking at his angles, "…But I could have sworn in my dream he looked different…!" He gave Conrad a dark look suddenly, "…Why is there a white hair on his shirt… and why is his hair shorter than his brother's…?"

"Ah, you see all that has a_ perfectly rational_ explanation… reason, the reason is his hair was shorter. What white hair?" He smiled smoothly until Yuri lifted the hair.

"THIS white hair."

"Don't tell me the shrine maidens take care of cats here too, Ulrich?" Conrad smiled hoping Ulrich would be empathetic.

"Oh heavens yes, Shinou-heika loves animals. Your brother usually brings the feed by."

"But in my dream Kazaharu had hair like Julia's… and it was longer… are you sure you aren't trying to pull something over on me?" He looked at Conrad with scrutiny.

"Would I ever?" He smiled, that smooth charm was enough to get into bed with anyone, like Yuri had a chance to be anything but consumed by it.

"…You're right, it was just a dream, right? So of course he didn't look like that, because it was just a dream, right?"

"Right." Conrad confirmed, "Now eat some curry, I'm going to bring them back to the nursery to rest. Tomorrow we'll transport everyone back to the castle."

"Mm!" Yuri said in a pseudo-energetic voice, two-thirds the bowl of curry already shoved down his throat. Yuri let out a lengthy yawn shortly after finishing off his meal. "…I'm exhausted."

Conrad approached the bed, petting Yuri's face, "Sleep tight, you deserve a good rest for all that's happened these last few days. When you wake up, let's plan a trip somewhere so you can relax. Would you like that?"

Yuri nodded, nodding off simultaneously, "That would be great… but I'm so tired… I can't think of anything…" he laid back and soon thereafter fell fast asleep.

TBC.

A/N: Short chapter, I know, sorry, but I'm working on it again, am I not? So you'll see more up soon! 3 Thanks and please R & R!


	8. Part 8 The New World

KKM 08 The New World

Yuri had never felt as tired as he did now, nor as sore. Even after a double header where he made three slide-plays to round the bases he had felt less sore than he did now. Yuri smoothed his hand down his stomach, satiated and bloated with two bowls of long-awaited curry he had devoured just before returning to sleep no more than two hours ago.

Conrad approached Yuri's side, noticing his husband was awake again. "Good morning, do you feel more rested?"

Yuri nodded, "I needed that extra bit of sleep. How are the twins?"

"They're fast asleep. They ate just a few minutes ago so they'll probably sleep for now."

"I see." Yuri smiled, snagging Conrad's hand in his, "So we're going back to the castle? …Is there even a nursery ready for them?" Yuri's eyes held an untold amount of concern, truth be told he didn't even like them being out of sight in the adjoining room here at the shrine, the thought that his babies would be who knows how far away from him in the castle made him cringe, internally at least.

"Well, it _is_, but it's a bit unorthodox to usher them to a nursery so soon, for now they'll be placed in bassinettes in our royal suite, of course during the day they'll be monitored by a wet-nurse, but you expected that didn't you?"

"Who…?" Yuri's eyes were clearly concerned, after all who would he willingly leave his babies to for an entire day, day in and out?

"Nicola and the maids, of course Gisela will want to check on them too, not to mention my mother. There are plenty of people who want to see the babies, perfectly trustworthy people."

"…And your brothers, they'll want to see them too, won't they?"

"Of course." Conrad smiled, endearingly, "Gwendel has already been commissioned to make their first teddy-bears, and another for Greta so she won't feel left out. She's been asking him about it already."

Just the image made Yuri feel warm inside. Sitting up, Yuri ignored the numbing prickles that shot up and down his back, excited by the prospect that he would soon go home to see his now expanded family. Yuri looked around for his royal garb in time to see Conrad fetching a change of clothes for him.

He looked at the clothes strangely, the clothes looked very easy to take on and off, but hardly like his normal gakuran, besides that, it was obvious it would never hold up to the wear-and-tear of horseback riding.

"Ah, Conrad… where are _my_ clothes?"

"What you wore here? They've been sent ahead to be cleaned, this is your outfit for today, Yuri."

"…I see… but, how can anyone ride a horse in those?"

Conrad blinked at him, "Well, I'm sure an experienced rider _could_… but why are you concerning yourself with that?" Conrad smiled at him with a friendly warmth that made Yuri fall in love with him all over again.

"Well, we're supposed to go back to the castle today, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"…But how…"

"By carriage of course, there's simply no way for you to ride a horse so soon Yuri, besides wouldn't you prefer to ride with our children? If those arrangements aren't to your _liking_ I could see if we can alter them, however…"

"No! No that's fine, I just guess I wasn't thinking it through, it's just we normally go horseback-riding, so I just didn't think and presumed that… ah you know what I mean, don't you?"

"You're still out of it, aren't you?"

Yuri nodded.

"And still sore?"

He nodded vigorously. "Very."

"I see… then please lie back down while I make the preparations."

Yuri stubbornly shook his head, "I'm not really tired per-say, more like I'm groggy."

"I see." Conrad smiled gently, handing Yuri pants with an abundance of fabric to them, what surprised Yuri most about the design was the fact that they were wrapped, not pulled up to be fastened, with fashionable belt-straps to hold their form to his legs, his shirt was a loose button-up long-sleeve design, instead of his ever-present flowing cloak, a fur hooded cloak took it's place, similar to his wedding garb though this one was solid black. In fact, it all was black. The only bit of color offered to him came from his blue pendant.

Conrad assisted Yuri with putting on knee-high tights and his calf-length black fur-trimmed leather boots before handing Yuri a set of fur-trimmed leather gloves.

"We'll leave shortly, Yuri."

Yuri nodded once before closing his eyes, now warm he felt a whole new wave of fatigue, truth be told he felt depleted and exhausted, yet he couldn't feel _tired_, instead his whole body just ached for an unattainable feeling rest would usually bring.

Yuri slumped his head against Conrad's shoulder, already half-asleep causing the brunette to smile warmly, he had suspected half as much, already anticipating Yuri falling asleep on their way back to the castle, as evident by the throw he had placed inside the cabin of the carriage.

Within ten minutes, the babies were prepared for transportation through the snowy scenery as the new parents traveled over to the carriage, Conrad helping Yuri into the cabin then signaling for the twins to be brought out, into the elements momentarily.

Dorcas sat atop the carriage, waiting for Conrad to signal their departure, a small guard set about to escort the captain and the very important cargo.

Arrival to the castle was much more uneventful than anyone could hope, Yuri and the twins slept through the ride, even through the roaring cheers in the city-streets as the royal carriage transported back the growing royal family to the Covenant Castle.

Once inside, however, that veil of peace was shattered by fretting maids, uncles, grandmother, friends, Greta and Yuri, alike. The twins were ready for their feeding timed perfectly by Nicola as she entered with the bottles, causing Yuri to smile with a sense of relief. At long last he actually witnessed them eating. Within half an hour afterwards, the twins were burped, changed, clothed then set to bed. Yuri chose that time to steal himself to do office-work that needed to be done, hoping he wouldn't fall asleep and drool over the papers.

Of course, just as Conrad timed it, he entered Yuri's office as the teen reached his limit, gradually angling closer and closer to the desk, as Conrad opened the door, Yuri's head had rested to the desk, having fallen asleep. Conrad stifled his soft chuckle in awe at Yuri's innate adorableness.

Stealing himself, Conrad presumed that this would be the trend set for the next few months and with that transported Yuri to bed.

The End.


End file.
